Trainer backs Hitchins at 147 but warns new promotional path could delay traditional belt run
Stephen Edwards says Richardson Hitchins has the ability to win a world title at welterweight. The uncertainty now is whether Zuffa Boxing will guide him toward a belt or keep him in in-house fights instead.
The bigger question is whether his new situation with Zuffa Boxing will allow that path or steer him somewhere else.
Edwards said Hitchins has the ability to claim a title at 147 pounds, adding that the eye test shows a fighter operating at a high level even if he still needs more time against elite opposition. It was a strong endorsement of Richardson Hitchins as he begins the next stage of his career.
Hitchins has long looked like a boxer with the tools to trouble champions. He can jab, control range, stay disciplined, and keep opponents from fighting their preferred fight. Those traits often carry well when a fighter moves up in weight, especially in a welterweight class that has recognizable names but no unbeatable champion. Having ability and opportunity are two different things.
Some critics believe Hitchins has hurt his own momentum at times through difficult negotiations, chasing only premium fights, or abrupt changes in plans. That perception can follow a fighter even when the reasons are more complicated behind the scenes. Boxing fans tend to remember the fights that did not happen almost as much as the ones that did.
Now there is another factor. Hitchins is signed with Zuffa, which may have different priorities than traditional boxing promoters. If Dana White wants the company built more like the Ultimate Fighting Championship model, then outside belts may not be the main target. UFC built its business around its own championship being the prize, not sending stars to chase titles controlled elsewhere.
If Zuffa follows that same route in boxing, Hitchins could be matched in internal marquee fights instead of being pushed toward WBC, WBA, IBF, or WBO champions. That could mean bigger events and stronger purses, but it might also delay or block a traditional world title run.
The obvious example is Conor Benn, another beltless welterweight name under the same banner. That type of fight may be simpler to make than dealing with rival promoters and sanctioning bodies.
Edwards may be right that Hitchins can win a title at 147. Whether his new promotional home wants him chasing one is the part nobody knows yet.