Richardson Hitchins against Keyshawn Davis is a genuine 50-50 fight that deserves its own main event. These may be the two most naturally talented fighters at 147 pounds, even though neither has proved that talent against an established welterweight.
“I think it’s a great fight. A 50-50 fight,” Hitchins told FightHype. “Two young, athletic fighters, Olympians, undefeated and former world champions. He’s a great fighter and I’m a great fighter. I think it’s a megafight. The winner of this fight should be on the pound-for-pound list.”
The pound-for-pound claim arrives too early, but Hitchins is correct about the competitiveness. He owns the cleaner jab, sharper defensive positioning, and greater experience controlling twelve-round fights. Keyshawn brings heavier combinations, vicious body punching and more willingness to force exchanges.
Both remain diamonds in the rough at welterweight. Hitchins has completed only one bout at 147, while Keyshawn has yet to compete there. They have not earned placement above the current champions, but their natural ability may be greater than anything those belt holders have displayed.
The geography of the fight begins in the center. Hitchins wants enough room to establish his lead hand, make Keyshawn reach and fire straight counters through the openings. Keyshawn must cut off that space rather than follow him. Stepping outside Hitchins’ lead foot would place him close enough to attack the ribs and bring short hooks upstairs.
Hitchins has an answer for that pressure. He regularly uses upper-body clinches to interrupt aggressive fighters before referees separate them and return the action to long range. Keyshawn does his most damaging work when he smothers distance, attacks the body and splits the guard with uppercuts. His success depends upon working before Hitchins can grab and kill the exchange.
Their rhythms are also completely different. Hitchins operates behind measured combinations and prefers a slower fight governed by his jab. Keyshawn changes speed suddenly, exploding with clusters before settling back down. One wants every round conducted at the same controlled pace; the other wants violent stretches that force an opponent to react without thinking.
Neither man has taken clean punches from a proven, full-sized welterweight. Keyshawn must show that his offense remains dangerous at the higher weight. Hitchins must hit hard enough to prevent him from walking through the jab and turning the contest into an inside fight.
The winner would not automatically receive a mandatory position unless a sanctioning body approves an eliminator, but he would become one of the division’s leading title candidates. Matching them now removes the soft transition fights generally used to introduce boxers to a new weight.
That risk is precisely why this is not an undercard attraction. Give Hitchins and Keyshawn twelve rounds at the top of the bill to prove which diamond is ready to become a welterweight champion.
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