Richardson Hitchins warned that he's levels above Liam Paro as a boxer.
Then, he went out there Saturday night and proved it in the ring. Hitchins thoroughly outboxed Paro to become the new IBF super lightweight world champion at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and live on DAZN.
Judges scored it 117-111 for Paro, 116-112 for Hitchins and 116-112, giving Hitchins the split-decision victory, though the lone scorecard for the Australian fighter was absolutely absurd.
When his name was announced as the new world champion, Hitchins crumbled to the canvas overjoyed.
"I'm just happy to become world champion ... I'm lost for words," the victorious Brooklyn, New York fighter told DAZN's Chris Mannix.
"Tonight I know I showed him that I'm on a different level," he continued. "Once I figured him out, I started to take over."
He sure did. It took about four rounds for Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs) to figure out Paro's pressure.
Hitchins did that by finding a home with his right hand off the jab. Once that right hand was asserted, it became clear that Paro (25-1, 15 KOs) didn't have any answers for it nor Hitchins' footwork.
The combination of Hitchins' slick boxing and movement reinforced the New York fighter's assertion that his sweet science is indeed levels above that of Paro's. During the 12th and final round, a desperate Paro was swinging and missing, his punch attempts coming up mostly empty.
Here's how the entire Paro vs. Hitchins' main card went.