According to Eddie Hearn’s publicist, discussions are still ongoing and no agreement has been finalized. As of now, no fight has been officially announced, and no IBF sanction has been announced.
After Hitchins won the title, the IBF ordered a strong defense against Lindolfo Delgado. The order was temporarily set aside after an appeal by Hitchins’ team, allowing time for a voluntary fight to be pursued. The IBF has yet to issue a binding order, and no financial bid has been set.
Delgado remains the IBF’s top contender. No decision has been made regarding Hitchins’ next defense, and no deadline has been publicly confirmed by the prosecution.
Hitchins also discussed his future weight class. He has publicly stated that he does not expect to stay at 140 pounds for long and has also mentioned the possibility of moving up to welterweight. No timetable or official plan for a weight change has been announced.
At junior welterweight, Hitchins is one of several current title holders in the bantamweight division. Dalton Smith now holds the WBC championship in the division. No negotiations or agreements have been announced for a joint fight.
Hitchins continues to show interest in fights with Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney. Those statements did not find any confirmed negotiations, and no fight involving one of the opponents has been announced.
Hitchins won the IBF in his most recent outing, becoming one of the division’s belt holders. Since that victory, not a day of fighting has been completed, and no forced defense has been organized.
As of January 18, no official announcement has been made regarding Hitchins’ next fight, his legal status, or his future weight class.