“Shut the [expletive] up, [expletive],” Duarte said.
Duarte had moved between languages earlier in the press conference. He chose English at that moment so the message landed directly. Hitchins reacted immediately.
“That [stuff] is not funny,” Hitchins said. “I promise I’m going to beat the shit out of you.”
The tone changed after that exchange. Hitchins raised his voice. His replies came faster. The usual calm delivery gave way to irritation.
“What the [expletive]? What you think?” Hitchins said. “I’m going to knock you the [expletive] out.”
Duarte has openly dismissed Hitchins’ standing as champion. He called him “basic” and showed no hesitation repeating it in front of him. Duarte believes his pressure will expose weaknesses once the fight begins.
“I definitely think they are underestimating me, but that’s on them,” Duarte said. “I know what I’m bringing to the ring. I’m hungry and want that world title.”
Hitchins rejected criticism of his punching power, an issue that continues to follow him despite winning the title. He made it clear he expects Duarte to fall short like previous opponents.
“With 20-0 and eight knockouts, people don’t think I have the power,” Hitchins said. “I’ve never been down in my whole career. He’s not going to be the guy to do it.”
Duarte did not back off from his approach. He intends to move forward from the opening bell. His style depends on closing distance and forcing opponents to fight in tight quarters.
“I’m definitely going to apply pressure and come at this guy like a train,” Duarte said.
What separated this exchange from typical pre-fight talk was Duarte’s decision to switch languages at the exact moment of confrontation. He wanted Hitchins to hear the insult directly.
The body language tells a story that is often missed. You can hear an insult, but seeing the reaction in real time is a different animal.
Hitchins is usually the one dictating the psychological flow, so Duarte catching him off guard with a direct, unmediated shot in English is a massive pivot. That tactic of trying to force a bet is such a classic “alpha” move to make an opponent look hesitant or cash-strapped, but Duarte didn’t just refuse; he threw the energy right back at him.
When a fighter has that 100% look of certainty, it usually means their camp went perfectly. Duarte isn’t just showing up for a paycheck.
The fact that it stopped Hitchins in his tracks shows that Duarte successfully disrupted his rhythm before they even touched gloves. In boxing, if you can make a “cool” fighter lose their composure for even a second, you’ve won the first round of the mental game.
