Rising young 140-pound contender Richardson Hitchins is scheduled to face veteran Jose Zepeda on Saturday in Orlando, Florida.
RICHARDSON HITCHINS (16-0, 7 KOs)
VS. JOSE ZEPEDA (37-3, 28 KOs)
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 23
- Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
- Where: Caribe Royale, Orlando, Florida
- TV/Stream: DAZN
- Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
- At stake: No major titles
- Odds: Hitchins 3½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
- Pound-for-pound: None
- Also on the card: Jessica McCaskill vs. Sandy Ryan, welterweights (for McCaskill’s WBA, WBC and WBO titles); Austin Williams vs. Steve Rolls, middleweights; Orestes Velazquez vs. Mohamed Soumaoro, junior welterweights
- Prediction: Hitchins UD
- Background: Hitchins is a rising 140-pound contender from New York City. The gifted 25-year-old has already faced some solid opponents but Zepeda – a fellow contender with big-fight experience – arguably is his toughest test, at least on paper. Hitchins is coming off a shutout decision over previously unbeaten John Bauza on Feb. 4, his 11th consecutive victory over an opponent with a winning record. Zepeda is a three-time world title challenger known for his solid ability and grit, the latter of which was most evident in his Fight of the Year performance against Ivan Baranchyk in 2020. The 34-year-old from the Los Angeles area was stopped in 11 rounds by Regis Prograis in a fight for a vacant 140-pound title last November. He rebounded to shut out journeyman Neeraj Goyat on March 25. A victory over Hitchins would be a significant step toward getting a fourth title shot.
