Two undefeated boxers collide Saturday when Liam Paro (25-0, 15 KOs) puts his IBF super lightweight world championship on the line against Richardson Hitchins (18-0, 7 KOs) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and live on DAZN.
With incredibly high stakes, DAZN News lists the keys to victory for each fighter.
Liam Paro's keys to victory
Apply pressure, close the gap
Liam Paro stressed it several times during Matchroom Boxing’s Face Off segment with Richardson Hitchins — he’s inviting the Brooklyn, New York fighter to meet him in the center of the ring.
Whether Hitchins obliges remains to be seen, but Paro has to force the issue regardless. That means pressuring and crowding the space of Hitchins who will want to operate with his jab from the outside.
Paro’s pressure and ability to constantly close the gap will go long ways to disturbing Hitchins’ comfort zone, making this key a must-do for the Australian.
Resort to the clinch, punch in the clinch
Watch Paro’s unanimous decision victory over Subriel Matias in June and you’ll see how crafty and savvy the Australian is in administering the clinch and getting punches in while in those cramped quarters.
These shots are blunt and could take a toll on Hitchins over the course of the fight.
Pound away with body work
Paro’s body work is banging. The IBF super lightweight titleholder does an excellent job of hitting the body with thumping shots.
The hope here is that this body work could soften Hitchins up just enough for him to lower his arms, giving Paro the lane to detonate a damaging power shot upstairs that perhaps changes the complexion of this fight.
Richardson Hitchins' keys to victory
Assert the jab
No surprise here. Hitchins’ jab is his bread and butter and the quicker he establishes it, the easier he can pluck away, gain points and bank rounds.
His jab is that disciplined, that crisp, that good.
Be the ring general, manage real estate
This key essentially has Hitchins being himself. His amateur pedigree has transferred to the pros in the sense that he’s a consummate ring general.
Once he plants his lead foot, it’s almost as if he draws his line in the sand, using that aforementioned jab to keep opponents at bay.
When pressured, Hitchins is able to slide laterally, reposition himself and once again manage that ring real estate.
He’ll need to use his jab and footwork to keep a healthy distance and rack up points from the outside against Paro.
Don't get baited into a firefight
Knowing that Paro is a grind-it-out fighter who wants to pressure and dictate the action with compact punches in the clinch, it’s up to Hitchins to not get lured into the Australian’s style of fight.
If Hitchins relies on his brand of sweet science and thwarts Paro's efforts to slow down the pace, the challenger could walk out as world champion this weekend.
How to watch Liam Paro vs. Richardson Hitchins on DAZN
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