Shortly after easing to a wide decision on his Zuffa Boxing promotional debut, the former IBF junior welterweight champion doubled down on a desire to test himself against the sport's elite names.

"I want the best guys in boxing," Hitchins said during the post-fight press conference.

"Give me Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia ... any one of them guys. They say I'm not like that, come show me. 21-0, no draws or stains on my record. Come get it if you want it."

The 28-year-old delivered a shutout across the scorecards, though there was frustration he didn't punctuate his performance with a stoppage against Mexico's Salas (24-3-2, 18 KOs).

He confirmed in the ring he'd been suffering a hand injury during camp and aggravated the issue during the middle rounds, electing to cruise through on his return from a 13-month layoff.

"I'd rate that as a B, could and should've got the guy out of there. My hand injury coming into the fight, I didn't get time to let my hand rest and in the fight, it was there ... I don't want to hurt myself and suffer being out the rest of the year. I already suffered a whole year layoff and want to be back before the year's over, so thought box and finish the fight, just keep dominating."

Hitchins hopes to return in either November or December, telling the media a fight between him and WBO welterweight champion Devin Haney 'definitely can and will' get made at some stage in future.

Haney (33-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC) is set to fight his mandatory challenger Keyshawn Davis, with purse bids taking place this week.

"I'm better than Haney," Hitchins told The Ring.

"He certainly has the accolades and hype - not saying he doesn't deserve it - but if you strip all of that away and look at us just from a talent perspective, I'm better. You will all realize it, if we get in the ring together. He's a great fighter with lots of good attributes, but my skills are on another level. I'm a special one."

He also rejected the possibility of a rematch with newly-crowned IBF welterweight champion Liam Paro, having outpointed the two-division titleholder for IBF 140-pound honors in December 2024.

"He's a hell of a fighter and I'm proud to have him on my resume but I want the other guys, intriguing fights that fans would be happy with... even Brian Norman would be a fight we could gauge our [his and Haney's] performances. If I can't get the fight, got to show you what I can do against everybody he gets in the ring with."