Hitchins says Duarte’s workrate would not have been enough following Duarte’s win over Angel Fierro
Richardson Hitchins fired back on social media after Oscar Duarte’s win over Angel Fierro, revisiting their cancelled fight. He said Duarte’s workrate would not have been enough and insisted he would have landed clean shots throughout.
“Everyone know Duarte had no reason to why I pulled out. That high volume was not gone be enough. I was gonna be placing shots all night on him.”
He also claimed he would have left visible damage had the fight taken place.
“I been told everyone that I would’ve [expletive] Duarte left ear up.”
Fans on X see it differently, saying the former IBF light welterweight champion Hitchins had his chance to fight Duarte last February, but pulled out with a sickness excuse on the day of the fight. In a classic battle-type context, fans feel like Hitchins saw the heavy artillery Duarte was bringing and decided the sick bay was a safer place to be.
Pulling out on the day of the fight is the ultimate cardinal sin for a fighter’s reputation. It creates a narrative of cold feet that is incredibly difficult to shake, regardless of the medical reality.
The timing of his posts feels like a defensive PR move by Richardson. By saying he would have “murdered” Duarte, he’s trying to rewrite the history of that night from a medical withdrawal to a missed opportunity for a blowout. The fans aren’t buying it because they have a very fresh memory of the Gustavo Lemos fight.
When a fighter is faced with a high-pressure, dangerous opponent like Duarte, and the fight disappears at the eleventh hour, the “lost nerve” label sticks.
“This ass whooping Duarte getting is cause my [expletive] was in his mouth. I don’t wanna hear no excuses about weight,” said Hitchins. “I would have murdered this guy and yall know it.”