Richardson Hitchins scored a unanimous decision victory as Matchroom Boxing headed to the Fontainebleau Las Vegas in Nevada for the first time.
Promoter Eddie Hearn took his company to the swanky hotel for a night of boxing that saw Hitchins improve to 18-0. The super lightweight defeated Gustavo Lemos via unanimous decision, preventing the Argentinian from making it to 30-0.
A hard-fought battle went the full twelve rounds, with Hitchins edging the decision on two cards 115-113. A third from Tim Cheatham saw Hitchins get the nod 117-111.
Hitchins is now in line for a shot at the IBF super lightweight title after taking the spoils in a sanctioned eliminator.
Also on the bill, Briton Galal Yafai claimed an eighth-round stoppage of Agustin Gauto. Yafai overcame a cut from an accidental headbutt to move to 7-0.
Diego Pacheco moved to 21-0 via a decision win over Shawn McCalman at super middleweight. After ten rounds, scores read 98-92, 97-93, and 96-94.
Steven Navarro, Skye Nicolson, Marc Castro, and Harley Mederos rounded out the card triumphantly. Nicholson and Castro scored decisions, while Navarro and Mederos got the stoppage.
Elsewhere in Pennsylvania, super middleweight rising star Angel Chavez continues his undefeated streak with a dominating performance against Khainell Wheeler. In his first 8-round bout, Chavez showcased his power in the ring, securing a second-round knockout victory.
The bout, held in Wheeler’s hometown, saw Chavez, who is promoted by Amaury Piedra of Boxlab Promotions, taking control from the outset.
After a strategic first round, Chavez unleashed a powerful right uppercut followed by a precise left hook to the head, staggering Wheeler and forcing him to take a knee in round two. With Wheeler hurt, Chavez capitalized on the opportunity. Chavez followed with a relentless flurry of punches, ultimately forcing the referee to stop the fight in the middle of the round.
Reflecting on his victory, Chavez stated, “It feels incredible to come out victorious in Wheeler’s hometown. I felt confident in my abilities. I’m grateful for the support of my fans and team. I wasn’t too happy that he didn’t honor his contract by coming in overweight, so I took it out on him. I had to punish him.”
Coach Bob Santos expressed his admiration for Chavez’s performance, stating, “Angel showed he is a force in this division. He had no hesitation in taking this fight after the guy came in way overweight. That says a lot about his mindset.
“This kid reminds me a lot of David Benavidez. His execution was flawless, and I couldn’t be prouder of his victory.”
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