Speaking with The Ring, promoter Eddie Hearn said IBF 140 pound champ Richardson Hitchins is all set to fight George Kambosos Jr on June 21st. Hitchins, who Hearn says is the top dog at the weight, will fight on the date regardless of whether or not Kambosos is able to go ahead with the fight.
The Australian warrior won his 140 pound debut at the weekend, with him scoring a wide decision over late sub Jake Wyllie, but Kambosos, the former lightweight champion, suffered a cut eye during the fight and there is some concern he may not be able to fight again as soon as June 21st.
Hearn, though, doesn’t think the cut should prove too much of a problem.
“The date is going to be June 21, that’s what we’re targeting, there’s no movement on that date,” Hearn said. “Richardson Hitchins is fighting on that date, [against] George Kambosos or someone else. I don’t think the cut is that bad, it’s 13 weeks tonight, so it’s going to take four or five weeks for the cut to heal. He’ll be fit and then he can start sparring again. He needs to make that date, I believe he can.”
Hitchins of Brooklyn won the IBF belt in December when he defeated Liam Paro. Currently 19-0(7), Hitchins also believes he is the best in the world at 140 pounds right now. Kambosos improved to 22-3(10) with the win over Wyllie, the fight his first since being stopped by Vasiliy Lomachenko in May of last year.
27 year old Hitchins will likely start as a pretty big favourite should the fight between he and Kambosos go ahead as is the plan. It really does seem like it was a long time ago when Kambosos scored his career best win (to date) in winning a close decision over Teofimo Lopez to become unified lightweight champ. Can Kambosos, at age 31 (he will turn 32 on June 14th) possibly regain that kind of form as he moves forward?
