Eddie Hearn told The Ring on Sunday that His Excellency Turki Alalshikh contacted him this morning to say he will only work with Richardson Hitchins if Matchroom is involved.

Alalshikh’s support for Hearn comes after Hitchins delivered a career-best performance Saturday in New York with an eighth-round body shot KO of George Kambosos to retain his IBF junior welterweight title.

In his post-fight interview, Hitchins (20-0, 8 KOs) announced he’s now a promotional free agent, comments that didn’t please Hearn. The Matchroom chairman signed Hitchins in 2022 when he was still a rising contender. Six fights later, Hitchins is a champion at 140 pounds coming off his first successful title defense.

”I was disappointed with Richardson Hitchins’ comments in the ring,” Hearn told The Ring. “On one hand, he says Matchroom have completely changed my life in two years. And then wants to tell the world he’s a free agent.

“It didn’t sit well with me, so I pulled Richardson to one side quietly after back in the changing rooms and told him how I felt. … It left a really bad taste in the mouth after all the investment we’ve made in his career.”

Brooklyn’s Hitchins is The Ring’s No. 1 boxer at 140 pounds. The 27-year-old called for future fights with Ring Magazine champion Teofimo Lopez, who was ringside, and Devin Haney, whose father Bill was also in attendance. Haney outpointed Kambosos twice in Australia in Ring lightweight title fights.

Kambosos, of course, is best known for his stunning upset of Lopez in 2021.

“We’ve done an incredible job for Richardson Hitchins,” Hearn told The Ring. “We’ve kept him nice and busy; headlined him four times. And with his great performances made him a star attraction.

”I had a heartwarming call from Turki Alalshikh this morning, who confirmed he will only deal with Matchroom moving forward on Richardson Hitchins. So we will begin those discussions.”