Liam Paro – Richardson Hitchins: Fight Stats and Victory Odds

On December 7 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Liam Paro will defend his IBF super lightweight title against American challenger Richardson Hitchins.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the statistics and key points leading up to this matchup, courtesy of Ready to Fight.

Liam Paro

Country: Australia

Age: 28 years

Weight Class: Super Lightweight (up to 63.5 kg)

Height: 174 cm

Reach: 180 cm

Stance: Southpaw

Record: 25 wins (15 by KO), 0 losses

KO Percentage: 60%

Total Career Rounds: 135

Recent Fights:

- Win by unanimous decision (UD 12) – Subriel Matias

- Win by knockout (KO 6) – Montana Love

- Win by knockout (KO 1) – Brock Jarvis

- Win by split decision (SD 10) – Yomar Alamo

- Win by unanimous decision (UD 10) – Steve Gago

Rounds in Last 5 Fights: 39

Average Rounds per Fight in Recent Fights: 7.8

Longest and Shortest Recent Fights: Longest – 12 rounds (UD win) / Shortest – 1 round (KO win)

Win Rate in Recent Fights: 100%

KO Rate in Recent Fights: 40%

Ring Activity in Recent Fights: 1.5 fights per year

Combined Opponent Record at Fight Time: 90 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws

Best Opponent Record: Brock Jarvis (20-0 at fight time)

Least Successful Opponent Record: Steve Gago (12-1 at fight time)

Punching Stats in Recent Fights:

- Jabs: 29 landed out of 537 thrown (5.4%)

- Power Punches: 238 landed out of 569 thrown (41.8%)

- Body Shots: 111

- Total Punches: 267 landed out of 1,106 thrown

- Overall Accuracy: 24.1%

Richardson Hitchins

Country: USA

Age: 27 years

Weight Class: Super Lightweight (up to 63.5 kg)

Height: 178 cm

Reach: 188 cm

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 18 wins (7 by KO), 0 losses

KO Percentage: 38.9%

Total Career Rounds: 118

Recent Fights:

- Win by unanimous decision (UD 12) – Gustavo Lemos

- Win by unanimous decision (UD 12) – Jose Zepeda

- Win by unanimous decision (UD 10) – John Bauza

- Win by corner retirement (RTD 8) – Yomar Alamo

- Win by technical knockout (TKO 4) – Angel Rodriguez

Rounds in Last 5 Fights: 46

Average Rounds per Fight in Recent Fights: 9.2

Longest and Shortest Recent Fights: Longest – 12 rounds (UD win) / Shortest – 4 rounds (TKO win)

Win Rate in Recent Fights: 100%

KO Rate in Recent Fights: 40%

Ring Activity in Recent Fights: 1.7 fights per year

Combined Opponent Record at Fight Time: 115 wins, 14 losses, 4 draws

Best Opponent Record: Gustavo Lemos (29-0 at fight time)

Least Successful Opponent Record: Angel Rodriguez (12-10 at fight time)

Punching Stats in Recent Fights:

- Jabs: 98 landed out of 261 thrown

- Power Punches: 74 landed out of 195 thrown

- Body Shots: 23

- Total Punches: 172 landed out of 456 thrown

- Overall Accuracy: 37.7%

Background of the Matchup

The fight against Hitchins holds several milestones for Liam Paro: his first title defense, his second consecutive bout in Puerto Rico, and his third top-tier opponent in a row.

Paro burst onto the championship scene by stopping a seemingly unstoppable force. In his previous fight, he faced Subriel Matias, an iron-willed Puerto Rican fighter on a streak of five consecutive stoppage wins. Notably, in each of those bouts, Matias forced his opponents’ corners to throw in the towel. Despite this formidable challenge, Paro succeeded in tying Matias down. It was an exceptionally tough battle for Paro, Matias, and the judges alike. Some fans still argue that Matias should not have lost that fight, but Paro demonstrated his class. He strategically managed his energy, limited the number of clean shots he absorbed, kept Matias from building momentum, and, most importantly, landed effective counters to secure victory.

Think about this: the last time Paro faced an opponent with more than one career loss was in the spring of 2021. Since then, he has consistently faced opponents who were either undefeated or had only one defeat, establishing himself as a consistent and dominant fighter.

Now, Paro faces a different but equally challenging test. Hitchins is a technical, intelligent American boxer who thrives as a counterpuncher. However, he remains somewhat vulnerable until he proves otherwise.

In 2023, Hitchins delivered an impressive performance against Jose Zepeda, showcasing his skills. In 2024, he faced a tougher challenge in Gustavo Lemos, becoming the first fighter to defeat the Argentine. Lemos landed several solid right hands and looked strong throughout the fight, but Hitchins outlasted him, earning a hard-fought unanimous decision victory. This upcoming bout marks Hitchins’s first career title fight and his debut in Puerto Rico, presenting him with an opportunity to solidify his standing among the elite.

Fight Odds by Ready to Fight:

- Liam Paro: 53%

- Richardson Hitchins: 47%