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Hitchins Remains Undefeated
While Handing Paro First Loss
By Luis Cadiz Sr.
Photos: Miguel Cadiz
It’s billed the “Perfect Match-Up” by the promoting pair
of Matchroom and the island’s own Universal Promotions.
They pit two undefeated fighters in their main event,
I.B.F. Jr. Welterweight champion, Liam Paro (25-0, 15
KO) versus Richardson Hitchins (18-0, 7 KO).
Interestingly enough, neither is a local fighter but
Paro made his mark on the island’s boxing scene when he
beat then I.B.F. Champ, Subriel Matias. Matias was the
“boogeyman” at 140lbs. but the man from down under left
the island’s son asunder, as Liam Paro boxed his way to
a unanimous decision victory. Matchroom’s plans with
Subriel Matias were derailed as Liam Paro pieced a plan
of his own.
So, the newly crowned champion makes the first defense
of his I.B.F. Jr. Welterweight title where he upset the
local champ and silenced the crowd in the process. The
question is… will Liam Paro be embraced by island’s
boxing fans or will he once again be seen as a foreigner
in hostile territory?
Judging from Paro’s walk out to the ring, the crowd was
divided. Sentiments still linger from his last
appearance on the island as Subriel Matias’s challenger
and boogeyman beater.
No feel out round for the defending champ as Liam Paro
dictated the pace of the 1st round and had Richardson
Hitchins back peddling. >From rounds 2 to 4, the
defending champ was the aggressor, and Hitchins didn’t
seem to have a solution for the puzzle of aggression
Paro presented.
The 5th round would be the beginning of a change in tide
as it had Hitchins countering effectively and putting a
pause to Paro’s offense. Rounds 6 through 8 were a see
saw battle for both fighters, Hitchins’ pure boxing
against power and pressure from Paro. Heading into the
10th round it seemed that both fighters needed these
championship rounds to make a statement and seal the
victory.
Though the defending champion, Liam Paro started off the
fight strong, it would be Hitchins’s boxing skills that
would make the difference. And the new IBF Jr.
Welterweight champion, via split decision victory,
Richardson Hitchins. The newly crowned champion Hitchins
improves to 19-0, 7 KO, while Liam Paro returns to “Land
Down Under” without his title and with a blemish on his
record, now 25-1, 15 KO.
In the Semi-Main event Henry “Moncho” Lebron (19-0, 10
KO) took on Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz (29-4, 19 KO) in a
battle for the WBO/ WBA/IBF Intercontinental Jr.
Lightweight Championships.
A local rivalry, Aguadilla (Moncho) vs. Barranquitas (Pitufo).
To translate, “Pitufo” is Spanish for “Smurf”, but the
“Smurf” from Barranquitas was being the aggressor for
the first three
rounds, looking for his spots, applying pressure and
rocking “Moncho” Lebron with a straight right in the 3rd
round.
Lebron, realizing the error of his ways of letting Diaz
push him to the ropes, began to counter better off the
ropes in the 4th. In the 6th round the crowd got riled
up, each rooting for their own, chants of “Moncho” and
“Pitufo” filled the Roberto Clemente Coliseum and both
fighters delivered the required chaos in the ring for an
exciting round.
More of the same in rounds 7 and 8, Diaz keeping Lebron
up against the ropes or in a corner, popping Lebron with
power shots and Lebron occasionally countering. The 10th
and final round would tell a tale, don’t let a “Smurf” /
“Pitufo” corner you or keep you up against the ropes,
but “Moncho” did enough to get the unanimous decision
win and improve to 20-0 with 10 KO.
Angel Gonzalez (14-0, 7 KO) went up against Yankiel “El
Doctorcito” Rivera (6-0, 2 KO) in a WBC/WBO/WBA
Intercontinental Flyweight Championship battle.
After the feel out 1st round for both fighters, Yankiel
Rivera is investing in the body in the 2nd round. In the
3rd round Angel Gonzalez tried to be more the aggressor
but “El Doctorcito” Rivera rocked Gonzalez with a short
right cross that sent the fighter to the canvas.
The 4th would be another round for Rivera and his right
as he dropped Angel Gonzalez twice. The ref stopped the
fight in the 4th. Yankiel “El Doctorcito” Rivera gets
the TKO win and improves to 7-0 with 3 KO.
In a 135-pound scrap, Marc Castro (13-0, 8 KO) went up
Agustin Quintana (20-2-1, 13 KO). It was a
back-and-forth battle, both were game but Austin
Quintana was more of the bully tonight. The cards read,
97-93 Quintana, 96-94 Castro, 96-94 Quintana and the
Argentinian fighter, Quintana, won the bout and took
Castro’s “0” in the process.,
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