Mayweather Promotions signs Richardson Hitchins

Richardson Hitchins, a 19-year-old from Brooklyn who represented Haiti at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, has signed a deal with Mayweather Promotions, and will make his pro debut on March 4 at the Barclays Center in his hometown.

Hitchins will fight at 140 pounds to start his pro career, with the fight taking place on the Garcia-Thurman undercard. He’s a two-time New York Golden Gloves winner. He’s a legitimate pro prospect; he lost his first round match in Rio, against the USA’s Gary Antuanne Russell, who would advance to the quarterfinals before being eliminated.

Hitchins joins a number of 2016 Olympians who have signed with major firms, including several of the Team USA members, and Americans who represented the countries of their parents after falling short of making Team USA, including Hitchins and Teofimo Lopez, who inked a deal with Top Rank in October, who fought for Honduras at Rio 2016.