Avila Perspective, Chap. 330: Matchroom in New York plus the Latest on Canelo-Crawford

Avila Perspective, Chap. 330: Matchroom in New York plus the Latest on Canelo-Crawford

New York. Skyscrapers and everything.

One of the city’s own, Richardson Hitchins, returns to his stomping grounds with the IBF super lightweight world title strapped around his slender waist. He’s ready to perform as an actual world champion in front of fans, friends and family.

New York style.

“I will bring the championship back to New York. They have somebody they can be behind,” said Hitchins.

Hometown fighter Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs) meets Australia’s George Kambosos Jr. (22-3, 10 KOs) on Saturday, June 14, at Madison Square Garden Theater. DAZN will stream the Matchroom Boxing fight card.

It’s not an easy fight. The last time Kambosos fought at the same venue he knocked off Teofimo Lopez for the lightweight championship four years ago.

“I never lost in America,” said Kambosos Jr. “Talk is done now.”

But Hitchins has a knack for kicking it up a notch when necessary. Those long arms and agile legs allowed him to evade those crazy beast mode attacks as encountered with Gustavo Lemos a year ago in Las Vegas. Or he can nullify a confident challenge with a simple laser-like jab.

Hitchins has smooth moves.

Kambosos has three losses in the last five fights, but those defeats were against now-retired Vasyl Lomachenko and twice to Devin Haney. He was not overwhelmed, simply out-boxed. The Aussie fighter accrued nearly 50 rounds of invaluable boxing ring knowledge against the best. You can’t learn that on Google.

During the press conference on Thursday in Manhattan, the two camps erupted into a near-melee after Hitchins shoved a sack full of alleged bills worth $50,000 in front of Kambosos’ face. The New Yorker also disparaged former champion Devin Haney whose father Bill Haney was present at the media presentation.

Hitchins warned critics not to compare him to Haney who ran during his last fight against Jose Carlos Ramirez in Times Square last month.

“I will be right in front of him. I ain’t no Devin Haney,” said Hitchins toward Bill Haney’s direction during the press conference on Thursday.

It always seems to get personal in the East Coast. Look at what happened last weekend with Keyshawn Davis.

After tempers cooled a bit, Kambosos sat calmly on his stool.

“This is not fake stuff. Whatever it takes,” Kambosos said.

Hitchins, who is well-aware of fans and critics expecting a hide-and seek-affair, was blunt.

“I don’t ever run. Saturday night, I will be in front of him all night long,” Hitchins said.

Other Bouts

Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz (5-0, 2 KOs) meets Japan’s Hironori Mishiro (17-1-1, 6 KOs) for a regional lightweight title match set for 12 rounds. The Cuban fighter has been learning the pro style and had hoped to meet Keyshawn Davis in the near future for the world title. But Davis was stripped last week for failing to make the 135-pound limit.

New York’s Pablo Valdez (9-0, 8 KOs), 42, a recently signed super welterweight, claims he wants to quickly make up time lost due to incarceration. He promised Peru’s Cesar Diaz (9-1, 4 KOs) a quick knockout if he doesn’t run.

Undefeated heavyweights Teremoana Teremoana (7-0, 7 KOs) and Aleem Whitfield (9-0, 6 KOs) meet in a scheduled six-rounder that few believe will go the distance. Australia’s Teremoana arrived not knowing if he was going to fight. Whitfield immediately accepted and both expect to be victorious.

Canelo and Crawford

The fight between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Terence Crawford will take place on Sept. 13 in Las Vegas, said Turki Alalshikh of the Saudi Boxing Federation to UFC Fight Press, adding that the Riyadh Season team will be working with Dana White and Sela to promote the fight.

No venue has been established. That weekend will be very crowded.

Along with Mexican Independence weekend it’s a busy time of the year for Las Vegas with college football underway and UFC establishing its own MMA fight card. Plus, the rise of WNBA cannot be overlooked with the Las Vegas Aces and their strong fan following. Las Vegas will be busy.

Oscar De La Hoya, on his Instagram account, pointed out some glaring obstacles regarding the planned boxing event on that date that only has Canelo and Crawford so far. One obstacle was the conflict of interest between UFC and the boxing event on the same day in the same city. Another obstacle was the lack of pro boxers signed by the group promoting the fight.

Here are a couple of suggestions: contact 360 Promotions which has Callum Walsh who is managed by Dana White. They also have more than a few very good fighters. Another group to contact would be MarvNation which has two of Fernando Vargas’s sons. The Vargas’s all live in Las Vegas and have a healthy following. Problem solved.

Send my finder’s fee to a local Las Vegas charity.

Fights to Watch (Pacific Time)

Sat. DAZN 3:30 p.m. Richardson Hitchins (19-0) vs George Kambosos Jr. (22-3) in New York

Photo credit: Geoffrey Knott / Matchroom

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