Zuffa Boxing fighters: Edgar Berlanga, Richardson Hitchins join upstart promotion

Zuffa Boxing announced two splashy signings on Wednesday as the promotion continues to build its roster. Edgar Berlanga and Richardson Hitchins are the latest notable names to sign with Zuffa Boxing. The promotion announced the signings on social media.

Hitchins (20-0, 8 KO) is the current IBF junior welterweight champion, having won the title from Liam Paro in December 2024. Since becoming champion, Hitchins has made one successful title defense, defeating former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. in June 2025.

By signing with Zuffa, Hitchins finds himself in a strange situation. Jai Opetaia was IBF cruiserweight champion when he signed with Zuffa. When Opetaia made his Zuffa debut in March, fighting for the Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight title, it led to a strange situation where it was unclear whether the IBF would sanction the fight for the IBF belt as well before stripping Opetaia of the title altogether.

Berlanga (23-2, 18 KO) won the first 22 fights of his pro career before getting a crack at one of the biggest prizes in the sport, a date with then-undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in 2024.

Alvarez won a lopsided decision that night, but Berlanga got big fight experience after having become something of a novelty by winning the first 16 fights of his career by first-round knockout.

Since the loss to Alvarez, Berlanga picked up another first-round knockout, beating Jonathan Gonzalez in March 2025, but lost his next fight when he was knocked out in the fifth round by Hamzah Sheeraz.

No details were announced regarding fight dates for either fighter.