IBF Champ Hitchins Withdraws from Garcia-Barrios Co-Main

Illness forces champion to pull out of high-stakes title fight

Apr. 12, 2026 at 11:50am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the chaotic energy of a boxing match, with fragmented figures and shapes in bold, clashing colors.Hitchins' withdrawal from the Garcia-Barrios co-main exposes the complexities of weight management in high-stakes boxing matches.Brooklyn Today

Richardson Hitchins, the undefeated IBF 140-pound champion, has withdrawn from his co-main event fight against Duarte on the Garcia-Barrios card. Hitchins fell ill after the weigh-in, vomiting and deciding he could not compete. The IBF enforces a strict rehydration limit on fight day, which Hitchins had previously struggled with.

Why it matters

Hitchins' withdrawal is a major blow to the stacked Garcia-Barrios PPV card, which was set to feature two world title fights. The rehydration rules have been a point of contention, as fighters must carefully manage their weight to avoid missing the limit and being pulled from bouts.

The details

Hitchins (20-0, 8 KOs) had been scheduled to defend his IBF junior welterweight title against Duarte in the co-main event slot. However, after the weigh-in on Friday, Hitchins fell ill and began vomiting, ultimately deciding he could not compete. The IBF enforces a rehydration limit of no more than 10 pounds above the 140-pound division limit on the morning of the fight, a rule Hitchins had previously struggled with.

  • Hitchins was scheduled to fight on the Garcia-Barrios PPV card on April 12, 2026.
  • Hitchins withdrew from the fight after falling ill following the weigh-in on April 11, 2026.

The players

Richardson Hitchins

The undefeated IBF 140-pound champion who was forced to withdraw from his co-main event fight due to illness.

Duarte

Hitchins' scheduled opponent in the co-main event on the Garcia-Barrios PPV card.

Mario Barrios

The WBC welterweight champion who is the headliner of the Garcia-Barrios PPV event.

Ryan Garcia

The challenger to Barrios' WBC welterweight title in the main event of the Garcia-Barrios PPV.

Daryl Peoples

The president of the IBF, who did not respond to a request for comment on Hitchins' withdrawal.

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What they’re saying

“I gained a lot of experience from that fight, especially with the way I rehydrated. It showed me that rehydrating the wrong way can almost cost you a fight, and I think that fight was closer than it should have been. I made it look closer than it should have been because of fatigue in the ring.”

— Richardson Hitchins, IBF 140-pound champion

What’s next

The judge in Hitchins' case will decide on Tuesday whether to allow him out on bail pending a potential rescheduled fight.

The takeaway

Hitchins' withdrawal highlights the challenges fighters face in managing weight and rehydration limits, which can have major impacts on high-profile events. This incident raises questions about the fairness and enforcement of these rules, as well as the need for fighter safety to be the top priority.