Richardson Hitchins withdraws from world title bout hours before scheduled start

Richardson Hitchins (20-0, 8 KOs) will no longer feature on the Mario Barrios vs. Ryan Garcia card after reportedly falling ill on fight night.

The IBF super lightweight world champion was scheduled to defend his title against Oscar Duarte on a DAZN pay-per-view (PPV). Ring Magazine broke the news just hours before the bout was to take place. The exact cause of illness has not been officially confirmed.

Hitchins won his world title against Liam Paro in 2024. He has so far made one defence of it. The bout against Duarte would have been his second defence. Given the extreme short notice of the cancellation, Duarte will also no longer feature on the card.

Richardson Hitchins vs. Oscar Duarte cancelled

On the YouTube broadcast of the Barrios vs. Garcia undercard, Ring Magazine’s Mike Coppinger claimed that Hitchins “started vomiting” after taking part in the IBF’s second day weigh-in. The sanctioning body requires boxers competing in a world championship bout to weigh in on the morning of their fights. In the case of a super lightweight, they would have to weigh at or under 140 lbs the day prior to their fight. They are expected to be at or under 150 lbs for the second day weigh-in.

“It was a terrific matchup,” said Chris Mannix, a DAZN analyst, on the broadcast. “World title on the line for Oscar Duarte. His opportunity to fight for a world title for the first time, win a world title, get bigger and better things. And it’s disappointing for Richardson Hitchins…”

“He said coming into this event that he had hired new nutritionist,” Mannix further elaborated. “He was working with new people. That what had happened with Gustavo Lemos where he made the weight poorly would not happen this time around. I talked to people that were at the rehydration this morning. They said he looked fine. It looked like he had made it comfortably. Something happened over the next few hours where his rehydration just went haywire…”

Neither Hitchins nor Duarte has commented on the fight cancellation as this piece goes published. It is not known whether the bout will be rescheduled.