A fundamentally sound and technically proficient Richardson Hitchins delivered a masterful boxing clinic against Liam Paro to win the IBF 140-pound title by split decision on Saturday night.

After a slow start through four rounds, a disciplined Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs) frustrated Paro (25-1, 15 KOs) for the rest of the fight by patiently pawing a problematic jab and right hand down the pipe. Paro never found an answer for the accurate and impactful punch, which snapped back his head throughout the night and caused bruising around his eyes.

Judges Frank Lombardi and Carl Zappia each scored the fight 116-112 for Hitchins, while Nelson Vazquez curiously had it scored 117-111 for Paro.

Hitchins dropped to his knees in jubilation once the result became official at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as the

the Brooklyn native became a champion for the first time in his seven-year career.

“Honestly, I was just hoping they wouldn’t rob me,” Hitchins said after the fight. “I’m just happy to become a world champion. I’m at a loss for words. I knew when I woke up today that I was going to become a world champion, but I didn’t know how it was going to go. I knew I had to go out there and be great.”

CompuBox credited Hitchins with landing 105 of 351 punches, and Paro with 84 of 483.

Paro started the fight in the first round by pressing the pace and following Hitchins around the ring with activity, landing six punches. Hitchins didn’t throw much and landed only one shot, but it was a well-timed, sharp jab, a preview for how the rest of the fight would unfold.

In the second round, it became evident that Hitchins, fighting flat-footed, was waiting for Paro to throw so he could counter with the harder, cleaner punches.

The determined Paro was not deterred, however, punching over the jab with left hands in rounds three and four as Hitchins’ punch output was few and far between.

The first third of the fight didn’t feature much activity from Hitchins, who landed just 18 of 84 while Paro connected with 28 of 156.

“I kept telling [my corner] to calm down because I thought he was going to come put the pressure on me,” said Hitchins. “But he was bouncing in and out, I couldn't get the timing on the right hand. Once I started getting closer, I started taking over. I knew I was going to get him though … I knew that if he came at me, it was going to be an easy night. He made me think every round and to be sharp, and that’s what I did.”

Hitchins’ corner pleaded with him before the fifth round to let his hands go, and the fighter immediately obliged and obeyed orders, as a parade of right hands busted the nose of Paro and drew blood. Paro would get his revenge, too, and he busted the mouth of Hitchins.

Hitchins continued keeping Paro at bay in the sixth and seventh rounds, standing his ground and unloading well-timed right hands. Hitchins landed double-digit punches – 12 each – in rounds seven, eight, and nine as he started pulling away and piling on the points on the scorecards.

Paro’s activity dialed down and started to dwindle, and before the 10th round, it was the Australian’s corner now pleading with Paro to close the fight strongly.

Action came to a stop momentarily in the tenth, as Paro hit Hitchins in the back of the head. As for legal punches, Paro landed a fight-low three in the round.

Hitchins unleashed two more straight right hands in the opening minute of the 11th. Paro answered by leaping in with a left, but Hitchins crisply countered from the corner en route to landing a fight-high 18 punches.

Paro had a nice bounce-back round in the 12th, but by that point, it wasn’t enough to win the fight.

“I'm humble in victory and humble in defeat,” said Paro. “Richardson Hitchins is a hell of a fighter, boxer, and champion. Kudos to him, live it up. He was the better man tonight. His timing was good. We let him get set in his ways. No excuses. We're back to the drawing board. It's not a loss. It's a lesson.”

Paro and Hitchins came into the fight on two different waves of momentum and confidence. Paro scored the frontrunner for the upset of the year by unseating former titleholder Subriel Matias in June via unanimous decision. Hitchins, meanwhile, was fortunate to score a unanimous decision against Gustavo Lemos in April in a fight many considered he lost.

“I just know how great of a fighter I am,” said Hitchins. “Tonight I showed Paro that I’m on a different level.”

Paro headed into the clash ranked as The Ring’s No. 3-rated junior welterweight, while Hitchins was No. 8.

As for what’s next, Hitchins said he wanted to face WBO and Ring Magazine champion Teofimo Lopez Jr. in a title unification bout in New York.

“I think that will be one of the biggest fights of the year in 2025, a very lucrative fight, a very big fight,” said Hitchins. “I belong in the ring with only the top level in boxing.”