Big news is swirling in the junior-welterweight division, where Eddie Hearn anticipates a unification battle between Teofimo Lopez and Richardson Hitchins. Lopez, currently holding the WBO and Ring Magazine titles, has been linked to a potential clash with IBF champion Hitchins, who is promoted by Hearn himself. Rumors flew after Turki Alalshikh met with Lopez in London.
In a conversation with BoxingScene, Hearn explained that the upcoming February 22 fight week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is where the real negotiations for Lopez-Hitchins could materialize. He called it a massive event where many high-profile deals are often hammered out, adding that Alalshikh "moves quickly when it comes to making deals."
Watch Paro vs. Hitchins highlights: Watch
There’s some extra spice here: Lopez still insists he deserved the nod in his upset loss to George Kambosos, a fight staged on a Matchroom promotion, which strained his relationship with Hearn. But now, with both fighters hailing from Brooklyn, a unification showdown in New York seems almost too perfect to pass up.
If Hearn and Alalshikh finalize terms, we could have one of 2025's must-watch showdowns on our hands.
Get to know more about Hitchins.
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