Unbeaten contender Richardson Hitchins (16-0, 7 KOs) will next face former title challenger Jose "Chon" Zepeda (36-3, 27 KOs) in the 12 rounds junior welterweight bout in Orlando, Florida.
Both of them were featured at the November 12 event in Love's native Cleveland, with the aim of generating excitement for a potential direct face-off. Hitchins emerged victorious with an eighth-round knockout against Yomar Alamo. However, Love's spotlight moment in his hometown turned into a catastrophe, as he was knocked down and subsequently disqualified during the fifth round of his match against Australia's Steve Spark.
Watch the weigh-in live from Orlando, Florida (Friday at 1 pm ET): Watch
The cart will also include a welterweight unification bout between lineal/WBC/WBA champ Jessica McCaskill (12-3, 5KOs) and WBO titlist Sandy Ryan (6-1, 2 KOs).
McCaskill is set to step into the ring for the first time in 2023, her undisputed championship status having been shattered by various sanctioning bodies. The FIB and WBO titles were relinquished after an unsuccessful bid for the junior welterweight undisputed crown, a match in which she fell to Chantelle Cameron in Abu Dhabi last November, lasting ten rounds.
On a parallel track, Ryan secured the WBO vacant title by triumphing over the previously undefeated Marie Pier Houle in a ten-round bout on April 22. This marked his third consecutive victory, building on a unanimous decision over Erica Farias last August. This win avenged Farias' sole career defeat, which had occurred just five months earlier, a mere eight months into Ryan's professional career, against the former 140-pound champion.
Fight card:
▪️Richardson Hitchins vs. Jose Zepeda, 12 rounds, for the WBC Silver and IBF North American super lightweight titles ▪️Conor Benn vs. Rodolfo Orozco, 10 rounds, super welterweight ▪️Jessica McCaskill vs. Sandy Ryan, 10 rounds, for McCaskill’s WBA and WBC titles, Ryan’s WBO title ▪️Austin Williams vs. Steve Rolls, 10 rounds, middleweight
Before the Bell: (begins at 4:45 pm ET)
▪️Orestes Velazquez vs. Mohamed Soumaoro, 10 rounds, junior welterweight ▪️Khalil Coe vs. Kenmon Evans, 8 rounds, light heavyweight ▪️Jeovanny Estela vs. Luis Caraballo Ramos, 8 rounds, super welterweight ▪️Jasmine Artiga vs. Josefina Vega, 8 rounds, super flyweight
