Five Things We Learnt From the Richardson Hitchins vs. Gustavo Lemos Card

On Saturday, April 6, we saw Richardson Hitchins (18-0, 7 KOs) defeat Gustavo Lemos (29-1, 19 KOs) in a tough unanimous decision victory in the main event at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, with the judges scorecards reading 115-113 x2 and a shocking 117-111. The undercard also had some talking points, so Big Fight Weekend wanted to reveal to you five things we learnt from the card in Las Vegas.

Five Talking Points from Richardson Hitchins vs. Gustavo Lemos

Richardson Hitchins Will Need More to Win IBF Strap

Richardson Hitchins came through a tough test against Gustavo Lemos, winning by unanimous decision. It was apparent the American struggled with the aggressiveness of his opponent. Now he is first in line to face the winner of Subriel Matias vs. Liam Paro – he will need to deal with that aggressive type of opposition better.

Read More: ‘It’s a Big Fight’: Richardson Hitchins Reveals Super Lightweight Rival He Wants to Face

The jab of Hitchins was his best punch, but he needs to utilise that better and follow up the jab with single shots or combinations to help slow down the opposition. The American may have got the decision, but it was far from convincing, and he will need a marked improvement against Paro or Matias if he wants to win the IBF super lightweight title.

Diego Pacheco is Ready for a Top 10 Opponent

Diego Pacheco came through a tougher-than-expected test against Shawn McCalman. Pacheco was unable to close the distance to his opponent effectively, who was content fighting off the back foot and countering well in the early rounds. McCalman began to tire as the fight progressed, and Pacheco pounced and started to work well on the inside, landing some nice hooks to the body and head, which saw the 23-year-old take charge of the fight in the second half.

Read More: Diego Pacheco Shows Why You Need To Know His Name

This was a tough test for the Los Angeles native, and he came through with his 100% record intact, winning by unanimous decision, with the judge’s scorecards reading 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94. A step up in opposition against someone who will come to fight is what should be next for this big punching prospect. After the fight, when speaking after the fight about future plans, he said: “I told Eddie (Hearn) we need a top 10 guy next and hopefully he gets that for me.” He continued: “Anybody in the top 10, you can probably name them better than I can, but like I said any of those guys, we can get it.”

Skye Nicolson Is the Real Deal

Skye Nicolson showed her class as she defeated Sarah Mahfoud by unanimous decision. The Australian won the vacant WBC world featherweight title in her tenth fight, with the judges scoring the contest 100-90 x2 and 99-91.

Read More: Skye Nicolson Dominates on the Katie Taylor vs. Chantelle Cameron II Undercard

It was a dominant display from the 28-year-old Queensland native as she showed she has ability in abundance. Her accuracy shone through in this fight, which stopped Mahfoud from closing the distance and allowed Nicolson to control the distance and tempo of the fight. Her slick footwork and fast hands allowed her to do her work in single shots or more and get out of range before her opponent even thought about returning fire. Nicolson is here to stay and will be a nightmare for any boxer, including the legendary Amanda Serrano.

Steven Navarro is One to Watch

13-time national champion Steven Navarro made his professional debut on the card against the tough Jose Lopez, with the debutant winning by sixth-round TKO. 

Navarro was in eye-catching form throughout his debut, switching stances impressively – and varying his attacks to great effect. What impressed most was his ability to not rush his work – and wait patiently for openings. He looks like a real prospect and is one definitely worth keeping an eye on.

Matchroom Stable is Stacked

A card like this, with fighters not quite at the arena headlining stage, was a perfect chance to show how deep the roster is at Matchroom. Fighters like Marc Castro and Galal Yafai continue to win and progress in impressive fashion as they take on better opposition in every fight.

This card allowed these fighters to enhance their reputations on a big stage, and they all passed their individual tests. It also reminded the boxing world that Matchroom are one of the best at pacing a fighter’s career.