NEW YORK — Richardson Hitchins is a 12-1 favorite to win his next fight for good reason.

The Brooklyn-based Hitchins convincingly outboxed then-unbeaten Australian Liam Paro to win the IBF junior welterweight title in his last fight. His upcoming opponent, George Kambosos, hasn’t defeated a championship-caliber opponent since November 2021, when the Sydney native changed his life by upsetting Teofimo Lopez by split decision in The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Kambosos also struggled in two 12-round lightweight title fights against another taller, technically sound opponent, Devin Haney, in 2022. Hitchins’ history and Kambosos’ body of work since he upset Lopez indicate that the handicappers have set the odds on Hitchins-Kambosos reasonably.

Hitchins’ promoter understands, of course, that this optional title defense against Kambosos (22-3, 10 KOs) on June 14 at The Theater is about more than simply producing his 20th professional victory.

“The pressure is on Richardson to look good and grab the attention of His Excellency and all those kind of people,” Eddie Hearn told The Ring in reference to Turki Alalshikh. “And if he looks good and wins in devastating fashion, I think he’ll be in a great position to land those big fights.”

Hitchins (19-0, 7 KOs) would love to secure a 140-pound championship unification fight with Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs), who owns The Ring and WBO junior welterweight titles. The 27-year-old Hitchins, a 2016 Olympian, is The Ring’s No. 1-rated contender in the 140-pound division.

Lopez seems more focused on possibly moving up to the welterweight division to challenge unbeaten Ring, IBF and WBA champ Jaron “Boots” Ennis (34-0, 30 KOs, 1 NC). Regardless, if Hitchins wants higher-profile fights and bigger purses, Matchroom Boxing’s chairman feels he might need to take risks during bouts he is instinctually inclined to avoid.

“It’s all about the product,” Hearn said. “People wanna see great fights, exciting fights. And I think that Richardson has been in some good fights. But a lot of the time, he’s got that style, which is hit and don’t get hit. And you see those guys kind of actively promoting that style. Hitchins champions it. Shakur [Stevenson] sometimes, [Terence] Crawford particularly.

“They don’t wanna go in there and make silly mistakes and get hit just because it’s gonna entertain some bloke in the arena. But as a promoter, we know that’s the product that you are judged by. And that’s why I feel like [William] Zepeda is the right fight for Shakur [on July 12]. And that’s why I think Kambosos is the right fight for Hitchins. He’s gonna come to try and win.”