Richardson Hitchins knocks out George Kambosos, fight result, highlights, reaction

Richardson Hitchins predicted a “massacre” and he delivered.

George Kambosos had shocked the world before at Madison Square Garden but on Sunday afternoon, Hitchins proved too much as the American retained his IBF junior welterweight title with an eighth-round TKO win.

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Hitchins consistently worked behind his jab for the entire fight, with Sergio Mora declaring in commentary that he turned the Australian into “target practice”.

The champion landed a total of 205 total punches compared to just 57 from Kambosos, while he also outpointed the Australian 118-34 in jabs and 87-23 in power punches.

The American could have kept doing what he was doing and settled for the unanimous decision win, but instead he smelled blood in the water after landing a body shot that hurt Kambosos in the fifth and then finished it with another brutal left hook to the body in the eighth.

Speaking after the fight, Hitchins said he had watched Kambosos’ previous fights with Decvin Haney and knew if he was able to take the fight inside he would be able to find success.

“He (Haney) was head-hunting a lot when he was hurt, so I said I’m going to touch him with some short shots and when I did I saw that he squinted,” added Hitchins.

“I smelled blood but I just wanted to keep punishing him. I told his dad, ‘If you love your son you should stop the fight’. He was tough. He was a true competitor. But I was just the better man tonight.”

Hitchins had promised he would get the knockout in Sunday’s fight and while chasing that opened him up to a few nice shots from Kambosos, the American said he was prepared to go to “some unsafe places” to make a statement.

“I put myself in harm’s way but I knew I had good defence and I knew I could take a punch,” he said.

“He caught me with a couple of good shots but it didn’t really hurt me, so I went for the kill.”

As for what’s next for the champion, he declared he wants the “big fights” and called out Haney.

Hitchins previously targeted a fight with Teofimo Lopez before he was no longer available, instead settling for the man who beat him.

But Hitchins made light work of Kambosos, who was back in the world title frame after defeating Queenslander Jake Wyllie while he also had a win – albeit in controversial circumstances – over Maxi Hughes on his resume.

But having lost three of his last five fights since stunning Lopez to become a world champion in 2021, his latest defeat at the hands of Hitchins casts doubt over what comes next for the Australian.

Although Kambosos made it clear the next immediate step for him after Sunday’s fight would be spending a bit more time with his family, having set up camp in Montreal before facing Hitchins.

“I don’t know right now. I’ve had two fights in three months’ time, two solid guys. I’ve been fighting the best,” he said.

“Right now, I’m going to coach my son’s footy team. That’s what I want to do. We’ll go back to the drawing board.”

While it was another loss on Kambosos’ record, the Australian said he hoped his critics at least gave him credit for not shying away from another challenge having already fought the likes of Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko.

“Look at the talent, I’ve fought them all. You’ve got them all. You’ve got Teofimo. You’ve got Hitchins. He’s calling out Haney. He’ll probably call out Lomachenko too. I’ve fought them all,” Kambosos said.

“I’m a warrior. They’re all great fighters. Like I’ve been saying, I chase greatness. I really believed in myself… but he was too good for me tonight…. the boxing world, they’re going to talk a bit now but I hope you appreciate the warrior that I am.”

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