Hitchins Vacates IBF Title, Joins Benn at Welterweight Under Zuffa Boxing

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Hitchins Vacates IBF Title, Joins Benn at Welterweight Under Zuffa Boxing

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Robert LaMar | Last updated Apr 21, 2026 4:47 PM ET

Richardson Hitchins is officially moving on and moving up. The undefeated Brooklyn native is vacating his IBF junior welterweight title to campaign full-time at 147 pounds, his manager Keith Connolly confirmed Monday.

Hitchins (20-0, 8 KOs), ranked No. 2 by The Ring at 140 pounds, has spent the majority of his boxing life in the division. But according to his team, the weight cut has simply become too much. “It was a tough decision… but he’s outgrown the weight class,” Connolly said. “I truly believe he’ll be even better and stronger at welterweight and fighting for a world title at 147 within the next 12 months.”

Now, Hitchins joins Conor Benn as a key piece of Zuffa Boxing’s growing welterweight roster.

IBF Title Picture Shifts

With Hitchins stepping aside, the International Boxing Federation must now crown a new champion at 140 pounds.

The likely scenario:

Lindolfo Delgado (No. 1)
vs.
Oscar Duarte (No. 3)

The No. 2 ranking remains vacant, setting the stage for a high-stakes clash between two fighters from the same camp both trained by Robert Garcia in Southern California. Duarte is already scheduled to return May 2 against Angel Fierro on the undercard of David Benavidez vs. Gilberto Ramirez at T-Mobile Arena.

Richardson Hitchins vows to become a two-weight world champion as he steps up to the welterweight division

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— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) April 21, 2026

What Could Have Been

Before the move, Hitchins was in talks to defend his title first against Duarte, then potentially against Delgado. A scheduled bout with Duarte on the Ryan Garcia vs. Mario Barrios card in February fell apart when Hitchins withdrew due to illness on fight day. That situation was further complicated by the IBF’s strict same-day weigh-in rule, which limits fighters from gaining more than 10 pounds on the morning of the fight.

Hitchins captured the IBF title in December 2024 with a split-decision victory over Liam Paro. He followed it up with a successful defense an eighth-round stoppage of former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. before ultimately deciding to leave the division behind.

Welterweight Shake-Up

At 28, Hitchins enters a loaded welterweight division with:

More physical challenges
Bigger fights
Higher financial upside

And with Zuffa Boxing aggressively building its roster, Hitchins’ arrival adds another serious contender to the mix. With Benn already in the fold and a potential clash with Ryan Garcia looming in the promotional orbit, Hitchins’ move could quickly lead to high-profile matchups. One thing is clear: He’s not moving up just to compete he’s moving up to take over.

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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