By Harvey Hudson
The road to boxing success is paved with obstacles, and Maxi Hughes knows this better than most.
His route to Las Vegas for what was already a daunting task against the unbeaten and heavy-handed Mexican William Zepeda in March was made even more complicated by a paperwork bungle that cost him precious time and added thousands of air miles as fight night approached.
Lightweight Hughes travelled from Doncaster to Sin City two weeks before his date with Zepeda, only to be sent straight back to the UK by Homeland Security agents who told him his ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) did not permit him to punch for pay in the US. It turned out they were wrong, but not before Hughes had flown back to London and then to Belfast for an appointment with the US Consulate and, once his right to fight was confirmed, back to the States again.
William Zepeda and Maxi Hughes
It all took the best part of a week, meaning Hughes had to kiss goodbye to acclimatisation and much of his final fight preparations. However, in a testament to his character outside the ring, which matches his battling reputation inside it, Hughes refused to give up and does not blame the situation for the defeat that followed.
“I could have used it as an excuse, and I could have pulled out of the fight,” he says. “But I chose to get in there to fight, so I feel like I can’t use it as an excuse. It would have been rescheduled, because it was a fight that was ordered by the WBA and the IBF. So, I was within my rights to pull out, but I’d put so much into it.
“It was my body that gave in. My mental state were good. I kept telling myself: ‘You’ll be all right, you’ve got enough in your locker to beat Zepeda, this travel issue and all that’s happened won’t take it out of you.’ But it ended up doing that a bit.”
The frustrations of the Zepeda build-up and fight were compounded by a feeling he might have taken a different journey altogether if not for the controversy in his previous contest.
In July 2023, Hughes lost a debatable decision to George Kambosos Jr in an IBF lightweight eliminator. Kambosos moved on to box Vasily Lomachenko for the IBF title on home territory in Australia. While Hughes is reluctant to make excuses for the Zepeda setback (l rtd 4), the Kambosos decision still doesn’t sit right with him – especially with what might have been.
Maxi Hughes and George Kambosos trade punches in Oklahoma
“I’m not saying I would beat Lomachenko, because he’s probably one of the best of this era,” says Hughes. “I’d have just loved my opportunity. My goal was to box for one of the main four titles and that were it, that was my chance, and they took it away from a business point of view [in Hughes’ opinion] because they wanted to go to Australia.”
Lomachenko went on to dominate Kambosos in May, stopping him in the 11th round in Perth. “It was frustrating to watch George, because he didn’t belong in there and he had no chance of winning,” says Hughes. “That was clear; he just got filled in. Whereas I feel like, I’m not saying I would have beat Lomachenko, but I’ve got better feet, I know how to box a southpaw, I can be cagey and tricky. I like to think I could have made it very difficult in there and had a better chance at it.”
Back-to-back defeats, one controversial and one comprehensive, have not sapped Hughes’ desire, though. Boxing News asks him if he had considered, at 34, giving up on a career that now reads 26-7-2, 5 KOs. “I always knew I’d carry on,” he says. “Don’t get me wrong, it hurt, and it were tough, but it were not enough to make me wrap up.
“I still have my goals. I’ve stayed focused on fighting for one of the four main world titles, or just the bigger money fights. I know I’m still a world-class fighter and I’ve got something to offer. I still feel like I’m at my peak.
If I felt like I was slipping and wasn’t able to perform in training, I’d like to think I’d be open and honest with myself to go ‘yeah, your time’s up’. But because I still feel good, I thought there’s money out there to be earned and there’s no chance I’m going back on building sites. I’ll stick to boxing for now.”
Hughes is scheduled to box over six rounds in Sheffield on September 27, when he features on the GBM card at the Park Community Arena featuring Shakiel Thompson, Tysie Gallagher and Hughes’ stablemate Reece Mould.
“I’m happy to box anywhere, I don’t mind what card I’m on,” he says. “The bit that is nice is its close to home in Yorkshire and I can get more people there.”
With GBM one of the newer faces on the UK promotional scene, Boxing News asks if Hughes’ involvement is a one-off or part of a longer-term relationship. “I won’t rule anything out,” he says. “I’m grateful that Izzy [Asif, founder] and GBM have given me a chance. I’m signed by Lou DiBella, who hasn’t got any broadcast deals. My last two fights, I’ve had one on Golden Boy and one on Top Rank. Although Lou’s down as my promoter, he’s more like my advisor or my manager, so he’s the one going out seeking fights. I could end up on any show, which is not a bad thing, as it opens doors up.
“I feel like my skill level is up there to get one [a world title shot], but again it’s whether the business side works out. It’s whether Lou DiBella can get me an opportunity to fight for one of them. He’s a well-connected guy and he’s very good at his job; he’s been around the game a long time. If anyone can do it, he can help me get there.
“This is the first step next month. I won’t be taking it lightly, even though it’s a six-rounder. At this stage of my career, every fight is a tough fight. I’ll be looking to go in there and do a real good job and look good. That’s my first step – I’ve got to win so then I’m eligible to go back in title fights or eliminators – but whoever I got [for a title shot], I would be written off again!”
Even though it will be just six days before his next fight, Hughes will be at Wembley Stadium on September 21 for Riyadh Season’s UK debut, headlined by Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois. His presence will be for two reasons – one, to support his stablemate Josh Warrington as he challenges Anthony Cacace for the IBF super-featherweight title, and two, to watch a potential rival and court a possible route back to the big time.
“Another fight on that bill that I’m interested in is the Mark Chamberlain fight [against Josh Padley]. He’s got to step up at some point. I like Mark; he’s a nice lad and I speak to him sometimes. He’s just fighting who’s in front of him. But as a domestic fight, possibly an eliminator, that’s something that could happen once I’ve got through my next fight at the end of September.”
Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority which is behind Riyadh Season, will be there in London, and Chamberlain is one of his favourite fighters – something that is not lost on Hughes.
“It’d be nice to get on there and get a piece of that pie,” he says.