NEW YORK — Richardson Hitchins reiterated Thursday that George Kambosos Jr. will get his wish Saturday night.

Kambosos contends that the IBF junior welterweight champion is simply selling their title fight when he talks about standing in front of the Australian challenger in The Theater at Madison Square Garden. The undefeated Hitchins nonetheless promised him that

“He keeps saying I’m running,” Hitchins said at their press conference at the Garden. “I don’t ever run. Saturday night, I’ll be right in front of him all night long.”

Brooklyn’s Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs), a 2016 Olympian, typically boxes from a range that enables him to outpoint opponents relatively easily. That’s not the most fan-friendly style, but Hitchins has effectively employed it and is unapologetic about avoiding trading punches unnecessarily.

Hitchins, 27, indicated, though, that Kambosos’ limitations will make him fight from the pocket in a main event DAZN will stream worldwide (6:30 p.m. ET; 11:30 p.m. GMT).

“Dominating fashion,” Hitchins said of how he’ll beat Kambosos. “I won’t be going nowhere. I’ll be right in front of him. Bill Haney wanna say, ‘Don’t run. He’ll get knocked the [expletive] out.’ I ain’t Devin Haney. I’ll be right there in front of him, all night, punishing this guy. Imma be right there, all [expletive] night.”

Haney (32-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC) convincingly beat Kambosos (22-3, 10 KOs) on points in back-to-back 12-round lightweight title fights in 2022. The former undisputed 135-pound champion drew intense criticism more recently for his reluctance to engage with Jose Ramirez in his last fight, a wide win on the scorecards May 2 as part of The Ring’s “FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves” pay-per-view show in Times Square.

Kambosos senses Hitchins feels pressure to entertain consumers following the backlash from the lack of action in those three heavily hyped 12-round matches.

“I think he’s huffing and puffing, trying to hype himself up,” Kambosos said. “I think he knows what he’s coming up against and I think he knows he’s in a tough fight and a real fight, the biggest fight of his career. But I don’t expect too much of his words to [translate] to that style. I don’t expect him to stand there with me.”

Jim Kambosos, father and manager, gave his son’s opponent the benefit of the doubt.

He is hopeful they'll produce a memorable bout comparable to Kambosos’ split-decision defeat of heavily favored Teofimo Lopez in November 2021 at The Theater. Sydney’s Kambosos dropped Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs) in the first round, got off the canvas in the 10th round to win their 12-rounder on two scorecards and claim the IBF, WBA and WBO lightweight titles.

“I believe this fight’s gonna live up to all expectations. I really do,” Jim Kambosos said. “Richardson Hitchins is a hometown favorite, right? He’s probably sick and tired of hearing about, ‘Stop running.’ ‘Fight. Take the fight.’ ‘Bring it head on.’ And obviously that’s what everybody wants to see, a good fight. And in George Kambosos, we all know he’s a warrior. I honestly believe if people haven’t got their tickets, go get your tickets [because] you’re gonna see something classic on Saturday night.

“Teofimo Lopez-Kambosos lived up to it. A lotta people probably thought, ‘I wish that arena was bigger and we could’ve all been in there.’ I think this is gonna be exactly the same. And both boys have got a lot to prove and there’s a lot moving forward for both fighters. And I believe Richardson is gonna bring the fight and George is gonna bring the fight and it’s gonna be a battle for the ages.”