Written by Harvey Hudson
The road to boxing success is paved with obstacles, and Maxi Hughes knows this better than most.
His road to Las Vegas for what was already a daunting task against the undefeated and heavyweight Mexican William Zepeda in March was made even more difficult by a pile of paperwork that ate up precious time and added thousands of air miles as fight night approached.
Lightweight Hughes traveled from Doncaster to Sin City two weeks before his date with Zepeda, but was sent straight to the UK by Homeland Security agents who told him his ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) did not allow him to pay the fee. . the US. It turned out they were wrong, but not before Hughes returned to London and then went to Belfast to see the US Consulate and, once his right to fight was confirmed, he returned to the United States again.
William Zepeda and Maxi Hughes
It all took the better part of a week, meaning Hughes had to take a break to acclimatise and prepare for the final fight. However, in a testament to his character outside the ring, matched by his fighting reputation inside it, Hughes refused to give up and did not blame the situation for the subsequent defeat.
He says: “I could have used it as an excuse, and I would have been out of the war.” “But I chose to go in there to fight, so I feel like I can't use it as an excuse. It was going to be postponed because it was a fight ordered by the WBA and IBF. So, I was within my rights to get out, but I was putting a lot into it.
My body agreed. My mood was good. I kept telling myself: 'You'll be fine, you have enough stuff in your closet to defeat Zepeda, this story of the trip and everything that happened won't get you out of it.' But it ended up doing that slowly.”
The frustration of building up and fighting Zepeda was compounded by the feeling that he might have had a completely different journey if not for the controversy in his previous competition.
In July 2023, Hughes lost a unanimous decision against George Kambosos Jr for the IBF lightweight championship. Kambosos advanced to Vasily Lomachenko for the IBF title on his home turf in Australia. Although Hughes is reluctant to make excuses for Zepeda's backsliding (l rtd 4), Kambosos' decision still doesn't sit well with him – especially in terms of what could have happened.
Maxi Hughes and George Kambosos trade boxing in Oklahoma
“I'm not saying I'm going to beat Lomachenko, because he's probably one of the best players at the moment,” said Hughes. “I just wanted my chance. My goal was to punch one of the top four titles and that was my turn, and they took it from a business perspective. [in Hughes’ opinion] because they wanted to go to Australia.”
Lomachenko continued to dominate Kambosos in May, stopping him in the 11th round in Perth. “It was frustrating watching George, because he wasn't going in there and he didn't have a chance to win,” Hughes said. “That was clear; he just got full. Although I feel like, I'm not saying I would have beaten Lomachenko, but I have better feet, I can hit the southpaw, I can be cagey and I can cheat. I like to think I could have made it a lot harder there and had a better chance at it. “
Back-to-back defeats, some controversial and one comprehensive, did not dampen Hughes' ambition. Boxing News asks him if he ever thought, at age 34, of retiring from a career that now reads 26-7-2, 5 KOs. He says: “I always knew I would continue.” “Don't get me wrong, it hurt, and it was hard, but it wasn't enough to make me fold.
“I still have my goals. I always focus on fighting for one of the four main world titles, or big money fights. I know I am still a world class fighter and I have something to offer. I still feel great.
“If I feel like I'm slipping and I can't do well in training, I'd like to think I can come out and be honest with myself and say 'yeah, your time is up'. But because I'm still feeling good, I thought there's money to be made and there's no chance I'll go back to the construction sites. I will stick to boxing for now.”
Hughes is scheduled to fight over six rounds in Sheffield on September 27, when he appears on a GBM card at the Park Community Arena featuring Shakiel Thompson, Tysie Gallagher and Hughes' stablemate Reece Mould.
“I'm happy to fight anywhere, I don't care what card I'm on,” he said. “The good thing is it's close to home in Yorkshire and I can find a lot of people there.”
With GBM one of the new faces on the UK promotional scene, Boxing News questions whether Hughes' involvement is a one-off or part of a long-term relationship. He says: “I will not refuse anything.” “Thank you for being Izzy [Asif, founder] and GBM gave me a chance. I was signed by Lou DiBella, who still has no broadcasting deals. My last two fights, I've had one on Golden Boy and one on Top Rank. Although Lou is less like my promoter, he's more like my mentor or manager, so he's the one who goes out looking for fights. I can end up getting into any program, which is not a bad thing, as it opens doors.
“I feel like my skill level is high enough to get it [a world title shot]but also whether the business side is working. Whether Lou DiBella would get me a chance to fight for one of them. He is a well-connected guy and very good at his job; he has been in this game for a long time. If there is anything you can do, he can help me get there.
“This is the first step next month. I will not take it lightly even though it is a six rounder. At this stage of my career, every battle is an uphill battle. I'll be looking to get in there and do a really good job and look good. This is my first step – I have to win so I qualify to go back to the title fights or the eliminators – but whoever I got [for a title shot]I would be wiped out again!”
Although it will be six days before his next fight, Hughes will be at Wembley Stadium on September 21 for the UK's Riyadh Season opener, headlined by Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois. His presence will be for two reasons – one, to support his compatriot Josh Warrington as he challenges Anthony Cacace for the IBF super-featherweight belt, and two, to watch a potential challenger and conquer a possible route back to the big time.
“Another fight in that bill that I'm interested in is Mark Chamberlain's fight [against Josh Padley]. He has to stand up at some point. I love Mark; he is a nice guy and i talk to him sometimes. He's just fighting what's in front of him. But like a home fight, maybe a knockout, that's something that can happen when I finish my next fight at the end of September.”
Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia behind the Riyadh Season, will be there in London, and Chamberlain is one of his favorite fighters – something that never ends for Hughes.
“It would be nice to get in there and get a piece of that pie,” he says.
Source link
