Richardson Hitchins Batters and Stops George Kambosos at Madison Square Garden 

It was a glowing New York City premiere for IBF super lightweight titlist Richardson Hitchins who delivered a stunning body shot knockout to crumple George Kambosos Jr. on Saturday.

Nobody ran.

“I’ve been telling the boxing world I’m coming. Now I’m here,” Hitchins said.

On a day with thousands protesting on the Manhattan streets, several thousand saw Hitchins (20-0, 8 KOs) defend the title against Kambosos (22-4, 10 KOs) in his first appearance as a title-holder in front of his hometown crowd on the Matchroom Boxing card at the Madison Square Garden theatre.

Once upon a time New York City was home to numerous world champions in its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, but now only Amanda Serrano and Hitchins are on the list.

Hitchins showed the crowd at the Garden just how he gained the world title with a sterling performance anchored by a lighting jab that set up the rest of his accurate punches.

Kambosos walked into the arena knowing he had beaten American fighters at the Garden on two prior occasions, including a surprise win over noted boxer supreme Teofimo Lopez to win the lightweight championship in November 2021.

Since that incredible win Kambosos fought top fighters Vasyl Lomachenko and Devin Haney twice. He lost those contests but did not lose credibility.

From the first round on Hitchins speared Kambosos with the left jab. And when the Australian fighter countered, a right Hitchins counter banged Kambosos for his trouble.

It took Kambosos several rounds to nail down Hitchins’ timing and punch output before he cranked up his own output.

The Aussie fighter absorbed sharp blows every time he lunged in with body shots. It was the safest target for Kambosos but he received sharp counters almost every time for his effort.

In the fifth round during an exchange Hitchins connected with a body shot that forced Kambosos to turn his body and grimace. He barely kept on his feet but Hitchins attacked furiously against the Aussie fighter.

Kambosos survived.

Perhaps because of the energy expended Hitchins eased back on his punch volume in the sixth round. Kambosos tried valiantly to land a big blow and though he did connect, the taller New Yorker resorted back to weapon one, the long stiff jab.

“I knew I had to go to some unsafe places to get a knockout. He caught me with a couple of good shots, but I wasn’t hurt,” said Hitchins.

The value of the left jab was like a sword that never missed for Hitchins. He kept stabbing Kambosos head like a spear pierces a haystack. In the eighth round as Kambosos searched for an answer, Hitchins launched a quick left hook to the body and drained the energy and strength from the Aussie. Down he went as the referee ended the fight at 2:33 of the eighth round for a technical knockout win for Hitchins.

Hitchins had promised he would not run away from action and fulfilled that promise.

Australia’s Kambosos acknowledged he list to a better man. “I fought them all. I’m a warrior, he is a hell of a fighter,” Kambosos said of Hitchins. “He hit me with a beautiful body shot.”

Cruz Wins IBF Eliminator

Cuban Olympian Andy Cruz (6-0, 3 KOs) cinched a spot for a world title fight with a technical knockout win over Japan’s tough Hironori Mishiro (17-2-1, 6 KOs) in a one-sided lightweight match.

“It did surprise me he was able to withstand a lot in there,” said Cruz about Mishiro’s resilience.

Cruz, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist, showcased a laser jab and pinpoint combinations that battered the brave Mishiro for the first three rounds. The quick-handed Cruz unloaded a seven-punch salvo then a four-punch combination that included two laser rights to the chin that floored the Japanese. Mishiro beat the count but Cruz pounced on him with four quick blows and down he went at the bell. Mishiro got up.

Mishiro survived the fourth but in the next round Cruz overwhelmed the Japanese fighter with blistering blows including uppercuts that forced referee Eric Dali to stop the fight at 1:13 of the fifth round for a technical knockout win for the Cuban fighter.

“I didn’t know much about him. I respect him. He is a warrior,” said Cruz.

Cruz now becomes the mandatory for newly named IBF world titlist Ray Muratalla.

Other Bouts

Australian heavyweight Teremoana Teremoana (8-0, 8 KOs) danced into the ring and then danced out after knocking out American Aleem Whitfield (9-1, 6 KOs) with a three-punch salvo at 2:28 of the first round.

Teremoana, a recent Olympian, prefers fighting as a professional.

“Gloves are a lot smaller, makes me a lot faster,” Teremoana said.

Zaquin Moses (4-0, 3 KO\s) demonstrated a balanced style and accurate punches in knocking down Carl Rogers (3-3) and then stopping the Colorado super featherweight boxer at 1:51 of the fourth round. The cousin of Shakur Stevenson fought in the pocket and looked cool and in control every round of the match.

India’s Olympian Nishant Dev (2-0) worked six rounds to defeat Mexico’s Josue Silva (3-3) by unanimous decision in a super welterweight match. No knockdowns were scored in Dev’s first fight in New York.

England’s Adam Maca (1-0, 1 KO) needed only two rounds to knock out New York’s Rafael Castillo (2-7, 1 KO). The taller Maca used a balanced attack and overwhelmed Castillo to win by stoppage at 1:29 of the second round.

Ro comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE