Richardson Hitchins Confronts Oscar Duarte’s Insult as Co‑Main Title Fight Heats Up
A tense exchange at a Thursday news conference has sharply raised the profile of the IBF 140‑pound title bout, with richardson hitchins and challenger Oscar Duarte trading barbs that many observers say intensified the matchup ahead of Saturday’s co‑main event at T‑Mobile Arena. The confrontation—marked by a crude retort from Duarte and a pointed challenge from Hitchins—shifted attention toward the undercard and injected fresh drama into the lead‑up to fight night.
Development details: Richardson Hitchins and Oscar Duarte trade barbs
The confrontation unfolded as Hitchins, the undisputedly unbeaten IBF champion at 20‑0 with eight knockouts, prodded Duarte onstage, even suggesting a wager on the outcome. Duarte, a 30‑year‑old with a 30‑2‑1 record and 23 knockouts, answered in blunt English: “Shut the [expletive] up, ” a line that drew an immediate, angry response from the Brooklyn champion, who is 28. The back‑and‑forth drove the press conference’s intensity from a moderate level to near‑peak tension and ensured the bout remained a focal point for the weekend.
Promotional and managerial figures amplified the stakes. Duarte’s co‑promoter, Pepe Gomez, framed the moment as the right time for Duarte to capture his first world title after a notable win over Kenneth Sims Jr., while Hitchins’ manager, Keith Connolly, reiterated his belief in Hitchins’ ceiling and mentioned potential future matchups, including a unification and a future move up in weight class. Bettors installed Hitchins as a strong favorite, listed at roughly -450, underscoring the clear expectations heading into the ring.
Context and escalation
The verbal escalation followed a pattern: Duarte switched between Spanish and improving English throughout the event, and when Hitchins sought to needle him—urging a bet on the fight—Duarte replied with the crude dismissal that set off the champion. Hitchins responded by promising a definitive outcome, claiming he would “beat the s— out of” Duarte and vowing a knockout should Duarte choose to apply pressure.
Hitchins used the moment to push back on a characterization Duarte offered, calling him “basic, ” and to highlight his own résumé, which includes wins over Liam Paro and George Kambosos Jr., the latter by eighth‑round TKO. Duarte countered that he has grown since earlier career setbacks and said he would bring pressure into the ring. What makes this notable is how the exchange crystallized competing narratives: Hitchins stressing a tested, unbeaten record and Duarte positioning himself as an underappreciated challenger willing to fight in the pocket.
Immediate impact
The heated exchange has tangible effects in the short term. Media and fan attention has gravitated toward the Hitchins‑Duarte fight, with commentators suggesting the undercard clash could eclipse elements of the main card. Interest in richardson hitchins among bettors and spectators rose after the news conference, and promoters cast the bout as a show‑stealer that could reshape perceptions of both fighters.
There are also practical implications: Hitchins has previously cited the IBF’s rehydration rule as affecting his performance in earlier bouts, saying that mandatory morning weigh‑ins and a 10 percent post weigh‑in limit forced extreme dehydration ahead of a prior fight. That rule—mandating fighters weigh no more than 10 percent above limit on the morning of a title contest—remains a structural element that both camps must manage in the immediate run‑up to Saturday.
Forward outlook
The next confirmed milestone is the scheduled title fight on Saturday at T‑Mobile Arena, following the final news conference held on Thursday. The IBF morning weigh‑in requirement will be a key procedural event for both camps, and the outcomes at fight night will determine near‑term plans: Hitchins’ camp has already mentioned possible unification talks and a longer‑term move up in weight, while Duarte’s side is positioning a title victory as a breakthrough moment after consecutive main‑event appearances with Golden Boy Promotions.
With both fighters publicly committed and promotional teams spotlighting the matchup, the immediate calendar is clear: final preparations, the IBF‑mandated weigh‑in, and the Saturday co‑main that now carries heightened attention and stakes for each man involved.
