Richardson Hitchins stopped George Kambosos in eight rounds to defend the IBF super-lightweight world title in New York.

Hitchins dismantled the Australian, a former world champion down at lightweight, picking him apart at the Madison Square Garden Theatre.

It was a humbling result for Kambosos who scored the best win of his career at that venue when he upset Teofimo Lopez in 2021.

Kambosos has gone the distance in two lightweight world title fights with Devin Haney. But at this weight and at this point in his career the Australian could not contend with Hitchins.

The American, from Brooklyn in New York, put on a show for his home fans, placing counter-punches, hurting Kambosos to the body and turning the screw in the eighth round and forcing the inside-the-distance finish with a left to the body.

“I’ve been telling the boxing world I was coming and they should have listened,” Hitchins said afterwards.

“I told his dad, if you love your son, you’ll stop the fight. He was tough, a true competitor, but I was just the better man tonight.”

“I knew I had to go to some unsafe places to get some good shots off,” Hitchins added. “I put myself in harm’s way, but I knew I had good defence. He caught me with a couple of good shots, but they didn’t hurt me. So I just went for the [finish].”

Kambosos has lost four times in his last six bouts. “I really believed in myself, but just didn’t have the timing,” Kambosos said. “He was a little bit too good for me tonight. He hit me with a beautiful body shot. I still got up before 10, but the ref’s got to do his job.”

On the undercard Cuban Olympic gold medallist Andy Cruz hammered Hironori Mishiro, halting him in five rounds to win their eliminator for the IBF lightweight title.

He will set his sights on the IBF’s new titlist Raymond Muratalla, who was elevated to full champion after the retirement of Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Australian heavyweight Teremoana Teremoana, an impressive Paris Olympian, picked up the eighth consecutive stoppage win of his unbeaten professional career when he dismissed Aleem Whitfield in their first round.