“I hurt my hand in the second round. I wanted to get him out of there, but after that I couldn’t let my hands go the way I wanted. I had to be smart and box my way through the rest of the fight. The knockout was there if my hand had held up,” said Hitchins.

Hitchins still boxed effectively over the remaining rounds, using his speed and timing to keep Salas from landing. Salas rarely threatened him and struggled to deal with Hitchins’ movement and accurate punching. The one-sided performance earned Hitchins another victory, even if it lacked the dramatic finish he had hoped to deliver in his Zuffa debut.

After the fight, Hitchins moved his attention to bigger opportunities. He called for fights against Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia while also mentioning WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. as a possible option if the other names aren’t available.

Hitchins left believing the result would have been even more convincing if his hand had held up. Instead of celebrating a knockout in front of the Madison Square Garden crowd, he left with a decision victory and questions about when he’ll be able to return at full strength.