‘I’m just as good as these guys, even better’: Hitchins says he’s proven his level after win over Kambosos

Richardson Hitchins says his name has to be put up there with the top fighters around his weight class at this point.

Richardson Hitchins takes some time to answer media questions following his dominant showing over George Kambosos Jr this past weekend. Hitchins says at this point he’s established himself as a top fighter around his weight class and that boxing fans and media need to put his name in the mix when talking about the biggest fights to be made around 140 lbs. Here’s some of what he had to say below.

Hitchins on successfully defending his world title at home

“Honestly, this was the moment I was waiting for, to come home to New York and headline. But I wanted to do it as the world champion and I felt like it was going to be bigger for the city. New York has had a lot of big fights in the past years but we haven’t had our own to cheer on in a world championship fight since I think Danny Jacobs, probably.

“I always wanted to be the guy to bring the championship back to the city and just give New York the feeling of cheering one of their own, so it felt great.

“Preparation was a lot more mental that physical. I haven’t got comfortable with the big fights, the anticipation, seeing my opponents, hearing what the media got to say — just that whole feeling is a different feeling.”

On how the possibility of a Devin Haney fight

“He’s saying move up to 147 so right now I got a lot of opportunities right now as far as being able to go 147 and hopefully he’ll give me the opportunity because he’s still the guy obviously at 140. So the opportunity is definitely real. I think the people want to see me and Devin Haney, me and Teofimo.

“I’ve been saying for along time now that they going to have to put my name in this conversation because if you want to see superb boxing you got to put me in that conversation with the Devin Haneys, the Ryan Garcias, the Teofimos. I’ve been tell ya’ll for the longest I’m just as good as these guys, even better.”