Zuffa Fighter Richardson Hitchins Losing Ground Over Norman Jr. Controversy
Richardson Hitchins is quickly finding himself in an awkward position. The former IBF junior welterweight champion recently called out former WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr., making it clear that he wanted the opportunity to test himself against one of the division’s most intriguing fighters. But Hitchins has since claimed that the higher-ups at Zuffa Boxing aren’t interested in making the fight. That stunt from Hitchins has once again put him under fire within the boxing community.
If that is indeed the case, Hitchins’ public callout makes little sense. He is signed with Zuffa while Norman is under contract with Top Rank. Though, this shouldn’t automatically make the matchup impossible. In fact, it raises an obvious question: if Zuffa isn’t interested in Hitchins facing Norman, why was the company perfectly comfortable matching Hitchins against Ricardo Salas in July?
Hitchins made his Zuffa debut against Salas on July 26, winning a dominant unanimous decision and improving his record. Salas was a respectable opponent, but Norman represented the type of high-profile challenge that could immediately establish Hitchins as a legitimate force at 147 pounds. Norman 29-1 (23 KOs) remains with Top Rank after returning with a second-round stoppage of Josh Wagner in May 2026.
GAINING A BAD REPUTATION
Unfortunately for Hitchins, this latest episode comes after fans had already begun souring on him. His withdrawal from his scheduled IBF title defense against Oscar Duarte in February 2026 because of illness drew criticism. Now, publicly demanding Norman and then seemingly blaming Zuffa for the fight not happening only gives his critics more ammunition.
If Hitchins truly wants Norman, he should keep pushing for the fight. However, he also needs to understand that calling someone out publicly and then shifting responsibility to his promoters can make it appear as though he wants the attention of a big fight more than the fight itself.
At this stage, the best way for Hitchins to silence his critics is simple: fight the best available opponent and let his performances do the talking.
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