Richardson Hitchins vs Gustavo Lemos final press conference and weigh-in to be streamed live on Matchroom’s YouTube channel

Richardson Hitchins vs Gustavo Lemos fight week schedule

Richardson Hitchins, Diego Pacheco and Skye Nicolson kicked-off fight week in Las Vegas by facing off with their opponents for Saturday night’s action at BleauLive Theater at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, live worldwide on DAZN. 

Hitchins takes on Gustavo Lemos in a final eliminator for the IBF World Jr. Welterweight title, Pacheco defends his USWBC and WBO International Super-Middleweight titles against Shawn McCalman and Nicolson provides the World title action on the card, looking to claim a World crown at the first attempt as she meets Sarah Mahfoud for the vacant WBC Featherweight strap. 

Those three fights went face-to-face today for the first time in fight week, and they are joined on the card by British Olympic gold medal man Galal Yafai defends his WBC International Flyweight title against Agustin Mauro Gauto, Marc Castro gets a first title bout in his 12th pro outing, taking on Abraham Montoya for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super-Featherweight title, Harley Mederos is in action for the sixth time in the paid ranks over six rounds against Pedro Vicente and there’s a pro debut for former Team USA talent Steven Navarro over six rounds at Super-Flyweight against Jose Lopez.

 

Thursday April 4

Final press conference
Live from 1pm PT on Matchroom’s YouTube channel

 

Friday April 5

Weigh-in
Live from 1pm PT on Matchroom’s YouTube channel

 

What have they said?

Richardson Hitchins: “I think I am a star already and superstar status comes with me promoting myself, making the best of my opportunities and getting to that superstar status.

“My name is buzzing already as if I am a World champion, people put me in these fantasy fights like ‘I want to see Richardson Hitchins vs Devin Haney, vs Subriel Matias’ and this is just in a year that I’ve been with Matchroom.

“Once I’ve had a little bit of exposure to the boxing fans, my name is on the scene, so I feel like slowly but surely, people are seeing my talent and that will turn me into the superstar that I want to be once I get my hands on the World championships and big fights.

“I feel good, I feel ready for the moment. This is what I’ve been doing my whole life, this will just be another day in the ring for me and picking up another victory. That’s what we plan to do on Saturday.

“This is big, I’m not going to lie, it’s a huge opportunity. When I first fought on a Matchroom card in Ohio I said, ‘I’m supposed to be the main event right now’, and I don’t even think it was a year later that I was headlining my first card. I felt Matchroom was giving opportunities to fighters that were on a lesser level than me, and I felt I belonged at the level where I was headlining my own cards and be on the verge of a World title. I proved myself slowly but surely that I belong with the elite guys in the division, and now is the time to stamp my name in the division and in the sport.

“I’ve just be working extremely hard and perfecting my craft like I always do. I was told if it’s not broke don’t fix it, so we just tweak it. We’ve done some different things in camp to better condition me. As far as mentally and skillfully, we’re trying to get better in that aspect, to grow and elevate my game. My mindset is like what Kobe Bryant said, I’m chasing perfection even though I’ll probably never get it, because I know that most of my opponents will never chase something that’s so unobtainable, that will give me the edge over a lot of people.

“I’m one of those fighters that people say, ‘oh he’s boring’, but I’m also one of those fighters that could box a perfect fight and not have a glove landed on me. So I feel like that’s my motto and I’m sticking to hitting and not getting hit, and elevating my game, that’s what we focus on in camp, everything else is just getting in shape and making sure my body is in physical condition to endure punishment if needed or to go any grueling rounds if that’s what it comes down to.”

 

Skye Nicolson: “We’ve had a few female World champions in Australia and I excited to be part of that movement and to be one of the girls that the younger generation are looking up to and aspiring to be like,” said Nicolson. “I know I have an important job as a role model, not just for kids in Australia but around the world. A lot of athletes have an important position in shaping the lives of girls and boys, and I take that responsibility seriously.

“I follow a lot of the young girls boxing in Australia like Ella Vasen, Sienna Murray, Maia Laird and Tiana Rew, and they are killing it. The growth of female boxing is huge, women’s boxing is in its infancy, and where it’s going to be in the next 10 to 20 years is very exciting and I’m really proud to be part of that development.

“The Australian boxing community just wants to get more eyes on the sport, that’s really been Australia’s struggle. We’re a big country with a small population, and it makes it really hard to get the backing and support that the athletes need. The stuff that we’re doing her around the world is aimed at growing the sport in Australia, to bring big fights there.

“Tim has led the way and has got Australian boxing on the map and hopefully that’s going to bring big fights to Australia. That’s what I want to do as well and for me, the dream is to fight for undisputed against Amanda Serrano in Australia.”