Richardson Hitchins Shuts Out Ricardo Salas in Welterweight Debut

The former IBF champion controlled the fight behind his jab and defense, opening his welterweight campaign with a shutout victory at Zuffa Boxing 9 in New York.

Richardson Hitchins opened his welterweight campaign with a one-sided unanimous decision over Ricardo Salas on Sunday night, winning every round at Zuffa Boxing 9 in New York. The former IBF light welterweight champion dictated the distance behind a sharp jab and disciplined defense to earn a clean sweep on all three scorecards.

The judges scored the bout 100-90 across the board after Hitchins controlled every round with his jab, movement, and defensive skills. The victory marked a successful debut at 147 pounds as well as his first appearance under the Zuffa Boxing banner.

From the opening bell, Hitchins established the piston-like jab that carried him to a world title at 140 pounds. Salas tried to work his way inside with body shots, but each advance was met by another stiff jab or straight right. Whenever Salas managed to close the distance, Hitchins circled away or tied him up before the Mexican could work. The tactic kept Salas from building any sustained offense, although it also slowed the pace and produced long stretches with little action.

The Brooklyn native looked physically comfortable despite moving up in weight. His footwork kept Salas chasing, and his shoulder-roll defense caused many punches to miss. Hitchins fought a style familiar to anyone who has watched Shakur Stevenson. He boxed behind the jab, moved whenever Salas closed the distance, then tied him up before another exchange could begin.

Salas continued marching forward over the final rounds, refusing to give up despite taking clean shots. Hitchins never abandoned the game plan. His corner encouraged him to press harder in search of a stoppage, yet he stayed committed to boxing safely from the outside instead of taking unnecessary chances.

After the fight, Hitchins revealed that his right hand began bothering him around the sixth round because of an injury suffered in training camp. Even with the issue, he finished the contest without appearing troubled.

Hitchins later mentioned Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia, and Devin Haney as opponents he wants next. His first appearance at welterweight left little doubt about his technical ability, even if the safety-first style won’t appeal to fans looking for action. It produced a complete shutout on the scorecards, showing that Hitchins has already become difficult to solve at 147 pounds.