Boxing

Liam Paro vs. Richardson Hitchins: Who has the edge going into the fight?

DAZN

4, Dec 24

Watch Paro vs. Hitchins live on Saturday on DAZN

Two undefeated records and one title will converge Saturday, when Liam Paro (25-0, 15 knockouts) defends his IBF super lightweight world championship against Richardson Hitchins (17-7, 7 KOs) in Puerto Rico, and live on DAZN .

With two unblemished fighters clashing, who has the edge headed into the fight? DAZN News analyses the pair in several categories to find out.

Boxing skills

Richardson Hitchins vs. Yomar Alamo Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

Paro and Hitchins each tout a distinct brand of boxing with Paro the more rugged, grind-it-out fighter who’s going to bang the body, resort to the clinch, punch in cramped quarters and secure points along the way.

The challenger Hitchins has a boxing pedigree dating back to the amateurs and relies on his sweet science which starts with a sharp jab before piecing together combinations.

When it comes to boxing skills, each fighter’s style is clearly working. However, if it is a slight push here, it goes to Hitchins who does not let off his lead foot and asserts his ring general ship very well.

Edge: Hitchins

Power

Liam Paro_December2023 Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

Paro has more than double the knockouts that Hitchins has produced with 15 to the challenger’s seven.

And those can be accredited to the champion’s measured aggression where he softens opponents up to the body before taking the openings he has toward getting the stoppage.

It is not that Hitchins does not have decent power to his punch. He does. It is more that Paro’s durable style is going to have him taking chances with his power.

Edge: Paro

Read next | Five things you never knew about Australian boxing sensation Liam Paro

Mental warfare

When Paro and Hitchins sat down for their Face Off, moderated by DAZN's Chris Mannix on Matchroom Boxing’s YouTube page, they did not refrain from slinging verbal jabs.

Paro landed big when he point blank told Hitchins “you don’t believe in yourself,” adding that the challenger is “unstable” emotionally, while demanding they meet in the centre of the ring and fight.

Hitchins shot back, poking fun at Paro having to overcome a knockdown to Yomar Alamo to claim a split-decision win in their December 2021 fight. Nearly a year later, in November 2022, Hitchins stopped Alamo, calling the Puerto Rican fighter a “novice.” That assertion seemed to sting Paro.

That same Face Off had Hitchins vowing to Paro that he’s levels above as a boxer.

Again, this category is very close, with Hitchins getting the razor’s edge as the challenger.

Edge: Hitchins

So which fighter has the edge going into this fight across three key categories? It’s Richardson Hitchins, 2-1.

Watch Liam Paro vs. Richardson Hitchins live on DAZN on Saturday

Liam Paro vs. Richardson Hitchins fight on Saturday in Puerto Rico and will be broadcast live on DAZN. You can watch with a DAZN subscription.

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