Richardson Hitchins, a boxer from Brooklyn, will defend his IBF Junior Welterweight title against George Kambosos Jr. at Madison Square Garden on June 14. Growing up in the dangerous Crown Heights neighborhood, Hitchins faced numerous incidents of gun violence, which deeply influenced his perspective on life and boxing. His experiences, including selling water at local parks and surviving shootings, shaped his mentality that fighting was necessary. This volatile upbringing fueled his passion for boxing, allowing him to rise above adversity and become a champion.
I was selling water to the guys playing basketball at Lincoln Terrace Park, and a lady came on the court, pulled her gun out, and shot a guy I knew from the neighborhood.
A lot was going on in Crown Heights, but to me it was normal.
You can't be soft. At three o'clock, we fight after school, or you have to fight this dude on your block.
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