Ringside Report Takes a Closer Look At Boxer Maxi Hughes – Boxing News
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By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart
It was never supposed to happen. The coming home as the nearly conquering warrior and a fight that would remove the ring rust and then allow him to show his skills before back in again at world level.
That was the plan.
That was what was supposed to happen.
Jono Carroll, who had retired former world champion Scott Quigg and gone the distance with Tevin Farmer was to have a wee dust up and then be ready for greater things.
The problem was that they did not share the script with the opponent picked to give him his homecoming stiff and stern test.
Maxi Hughes, 22-5-2, 4 KO’s, was the Welshman picked to come in, give a decent account and then lose.
He didn’t.
The shock waves that went round the studio in the UK when the referee raised Hughes’ hand rather than the man we expected to get the nod, and who didn’t quite deserve it, had that happened, are still being felt by all who don’t know Hughes,. For those souls who knew his pedigree, they questioned why anyone would voluntarily pick to have a fight with him.
Bu the story only got better in the telling after that fight. Hughes landed a WBC title fight in Caesar’s Palace, Dubai as reward and toddled out there with the same types of expectations that came with the Carrol fight – go out, give a good account, etc., etc., etc.
Once again, he arrived in the ring, tore up the script and came away with a win. Judges this time, were a little more emphatic, though one gave it to him by one round – the others were less generous to the favourite – as he beat the guy who was slated to beat him – the unbeaten Viktor Kotochigov. This was after he sent his opponent to the canvass in the third round with a highly effective uppercut.
According to his manager, Stefy Bull, they might not be happy with anything less than world title shot in 2021! Not bad for a guy who two years ago nearly gave up the sport entirely, following a loss for the British super featherweight title against Sam Bowen.
Talking to his local newspaper in Doncaster, England, Hughes said, “I was done with it all. It was so disappointing to lose that last fight the way I did, with the doctor ending it, that I’d had enough. So, for at least six months I’d retired. I just wanted to focus on the new baby and get away from it all. But I then had this feeling that I’d not achieved all I can in boxing. I’m still convinced that I can win titles at British, Commonwealth or European level.”
That renaissance started with the close decision against Carroll in August this year. In a 10 rounder in South Kirkby, in one of the lesser shows – that means not promoted by Frank Warren or Eddie Hearn in the UK – Carroll was not at his best. That may have opened the door for Hughes, but he still needed to stroll through it. In the end, the judges scored it close but all in Hughes favour as John Latham and Mark Lyson each scored the bout 96-95 while Ian John Lewis had it wider at 97-93 in favor of Hughes.
It had been a fight that saw Hughes managing to match Carroll for most of the fight and then in the last stretch, Carroll lost his momentum and the lack of snap in his punches came back to haunt him as he struggled in the last part of the fight. Hughes dominated towards the end and that is what earned him the win.
With his debut in his hometown of Doncaster way back in 2010, Hughes had begun, up until now, a fairly unremarkable career after beating veteran Johnny Greaves on points on the 17th September that year. His notable fights from then have included drawing with Scotland’s Ronnie Clark in 2012, again at home, losing in a Central Area title fight against Scott Cardle on points in Blackpool on the 20th April 2013 as well as losing to Thomas Patrick Ward in Leeds on the 11th April two years later for the WBC international belt. It was a fight in the midst of a trilogy against Ward as Hughes drew the first fight in 2014, then in 2017 they both clashed again for the British title in Manchester and Hughes lost again.
Then in 2018 came that British title fight that came close to scuppering the career. Sam Bowen in Leicester stopped the fight as Hughes’ right eye was badly swollen. Hughes had been down twice in the seventh and the stoppage was given on the doctor’s advice.
2019 also saw Hughes take on Liam Walsh for the WBO European title in York Hall, which went the distance and also went to his opponent as once again went the distance.
Hughes has always demonstrated a willingness to share a ring with whoever. Twenty two fights, five losses and two draws. It makes what happened in South Kirkby and Dubai even more of a front page story. It has been a tough career but one which has shown that he has the guts, he deserves the glory and no matter what happens next, it shall be VERY far from boring!
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