Richardson Hitchins says his proposed fight with Keyshawn Davis is off, claiming Davis demanded $6 million for a bout Hitchins had already agreed to nearly two months ago.
If that account is accurate, Davis has put a high price on an opportunity that could help him earn bigger purses. Beating Hitchins would give him something he cannot produce through callouts alone: a quality victory to strengthen his position in future negotiations.
“He was asking for 6ms to fight me,” Hitchins said on social media. “I been agreed to the fight going on 2 months. I was wondering what was the hold up.”
Hitchins also claimed Davis had never earned more than $1 million in boxing. That assertion and the alleged $6 million demand remain his account of the negotiations. The statement does not establish what Davis was offered, how the proposed purse was structured, or his side of the dispute.
Still, Hitchins has put an uncomfortable figure into public discussion. Davis now faces criticism over whether his asking price reflects what this particular fight can generate.
Davis is entitled to negotiate for the biggest purse available. Facing Hitchins is a serious undertaking, and neither fighter should be expected to accept whatever number gets placed in front of him. But the money has to come from someone willing to fund the event.
A competitive matchup does not automatically produce enough ticket sales or broadcast revenue to support every purse request. If Davis wanted $6 million, the people financing the fight would need a reason to believe that investment made sense.
That is where losing this opportunity could hurt him. Hitchins would offer Davis a chance to prove himself against a skilled opponent whose jab and boxing ability could force him to solve difficult rounds. A strong performance would give Davis more to sell the next time he asks for a major payday.
Instead, Hitchins is now telling fans he accepted while Davis priced himself out. That version gives Hitchins the better public argument until Davis provides his own explanation.
The immediate cost is a worthwhile fight slipping away. The longer Davis waits for a purse that satisfies him, the longer he goes without the victory that could make his next demand easier to justify.