Maxi Hughes


Daniel "Maxi" Hughes is a British professional boxer. He held the International Boxing Organisation lightweight title from 2021 to 2023. He has also held the British lightweight title.

Professional career

Hughes made his professional debut on 17 September 2010, scoring a four-round points decision victory against Johnny Greaves at the Doncaster Dome.
After compiling a record of 8–0–1, he faced Scott Cardle for the vacant Central Area lightweight title on 20 April 2013 at Winter Gardens, Blackpool. In his first championship fight Hughes suffered the first defeat of his career, losing via PTS.
After four victories, Hughes was originally scheduled to face Joseph Laryea for the vacant International Masters super-featherweight title on 12 September 2014 at iceSheffield. After Laryea refused to fight on the scheduled date, he was replaced with Kakhaber Avetisiani. Hughes emerged victorious, winning his first championship via PTS over ten rounds.
He next faced Martin Joseph Ward on 6 December 2014. In a bout that served as an eliminator for the British super-featherweight title, Hughes scored two knockdowns–which Ward claims were the result of an accidental clash of heads and a slip–en route to a majority draw. Two judges scored the bout even at 95–95 and 94–94, while the third judge scored it 95–94 in favour of Ward. The pair had an immediate rematch on 11 April at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, with the vacant WBC International super-featherweight title on the line. In the fifth round Ward landed an uppercut which left Hughes with a "badly damaged nose", prompting his corner to call a halt to the contest at the end of the round, handing Hughes a fifth-round stoppage defeat via corner retirement.
After three victories in non-title fights, Hughes and Ward–now the British super-featherweight champion–fought for a third time on 25 March 2017 at the Manchester Arena. Hughes suffered the third defeat of his career, losing via twelve-round unanimous decision with the judges' scorecards reading 118–111, 116–113 and 116–112.
In his next fight he defeated Ryan Moorhead via PTS, capturing the vacant Central Area super-featherweight title on 2 September 2017 at the Doncaster Dome.
Following a technical knockout victory against Cassius Connor in November 2017, Hughes made his second attempt at the British championship, facing Sam Bowen for the vacant title on 14 April 2018 at the King Power Stadium in Leicester. Hughes took a knee twice in the seventh round. At the beginning of the eighth, referee Victor Loughlin called a time out to allow the ringside doctor to examine an injury to Hughes' right eye. After the doctor determined Hughes' was unable to continue, Louglin called a halt to the contest, handing Hughes an eighth-round TKO loss.
He bounced back from defeat with a TKO victory against Kieron McLaren in July 2018, before suffering the fifth defeat of his career on 9 November 2019, losing via UD against Liam Walsh in a bout for the vacant WBO European lightweight title at the York Hall in London.
Three fights later he fought undefeated prospect Viktor Kotochigov for the WBC International lightweight title on 9 October 2020 at the Caesars Palace in Dubai. In what media outlets described as an "upset", Hughes scored a knockdown in the third-round en route to a UD victory with the judges' scorecards reading 97–92, 96–93 and 95–94.
In his next fight he faced Paul Hyland Jr for the vacant British lightweight title on 19 March 2021 at the Whites Hotel in Bolton. In what was considered by media outlets as a "controversial" decision, Hughes emerged victorious via eighth-round TKO. Hughes landed a punch to the body of Hyland, causing him to bend over in pain. After referee Mark Lyson initially ordered Hughes to a neutral corner, believing Hyland had touched the floor, Hyland turned his back and walked to the opposite corner. Lyson then corrected his mistake and signalled Hughes to resume the action, at which point, he ran across the ring and landed a right hand on Hyland with his back still turned. Hyland fell to the floor, prompting Lyson to begin a ten count. He made it back to his feet by the count of nine only for Lyson to call a halt to the contest, awarding Hughes the British title in his third attempt.
Following his British title victory, Hughes made his first attempt at a world championship; facing Jovanni Straffon for the lightly-regarded IBO lightweight title on 4 September at the Headingley Rugby Stadium in Leeds. Serving as part of the undercard for Josh Warrington vs. Mauricio Lara, Hughes won a wide UD with two judges scoring the bout 120–117 while the third scored it 119–109.
On March 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Hughes faced the undefeated William Zepeda in a WBA lightweight title eliminator. Zepeda won the fight via stoppage in four rounds.
On 14 December 2024, in Monte Carlo, Monaco, Hughes defeated Gary Cully via unanimous decision to win the WBA Continental lightweight title.
On 23 May 2025, Hughes defeated Archie Sharp by unanimous decision at Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster to win the vacant WBC Silver lightweight title.
On 12 December 2025 at Duty Free Tennis Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, he lost via majority decision to Bakhodur Usmonov.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
39LossBakhodur UsmonovMD1012 Dec 2025Duty Free Tennis Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
38WinArchie SharpUD1023 May 2025Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster, EnglandWon vacant WBC Silver lightweight title
37WinGary CullyUD1014 Dec 2024Salle des Étoiles, Monte Carlo, MonacoWon WBA Continental lightweight title
36Win27–7–2Efstathios AntonasTKO6, 1:0227 Sep 2024Park Community Arena, Sheffield, England
35Loss26–7–2William ZepedaRTD4, 3:0016 Mar 2024Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
34Loss26–6–2George Kambosos JrMD1222 Jul 2023Firelake Arena, Shawnee, U.S.Lost IBO Lightweight title
33Win26–5–2Kid Galahad1224 Sep 2022Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham, EnglandRetained IBO lightweight title
32Win25–5–2Ryan WalshUD1226 Mar 2022First Direct Arena, Leeds, EnglandRetained IBO lightweight title
31Win24–5–2Jovanni StraffonUD124 Sep 2021Headingley Rugby Stadium, Leeds, EnglandWon IBO lightweight title
30Win23–5–2Paul Hyland JrTKO8, 1:2019 Mar 2021Whites Hotel, Boston, EnglandWon vacant British lightweight title
29Win22–5–2Viktor KotochigovUD109 Oct 2020Caesars Palace, Dubai, United Arab EmiratesWon WBC International lightweight title
28Win21–5–2Jono CarrollUD1012 Aug 2020Production Park Studios, South Kirkby, England
27Win20–5–2Kris PilkingtonPTS422 Feb 2020Doncaster Dome, Doncaster, England
26Loss19–5–2Liam WalshUD109 Nov 2019York Hall, London, EnglandFor vacant WBO European lightweight title
25Win19–4–2Kieron McLarenTKO4, 2:426 Jul 2019Doncaster Dome, Doncaster, England
24Loss18–4–2Sam BowenTKO8, 0:0214 Apr 2018King Power Stadium, Leicester, EnglandFor vacant British super-featherweight title
23Win18–3–2Cassius Connor4, 1:5525 Nov 2017Doncaster Dome, Doncaster, England
22Win17–3–2Ryan MoorheadPTS102 Sep 2017Doncaster Dome, Doncaster, EnglandWon vacant Central Area super-featherweight title
21Loss16–3–2Martin Joseph Ward1225 Mar 2017Manchester Arena, Manchester, EnglandFor British super-featherweight title
20Win16–2–2Fonz AlexanderPTS616 Apr 2016First Direct Arena, Leeds, England
19Win15–2–2James Fyers106 Feb 2016Europa Hotel, Belfast, Northern Ireland
18Win14–2–2Abdon CesarPTS623 Oct 2015Devonshire Dome, Buxton, England
17Loss13–2–2Martin Joseph Ward5, 3:0011 Apr 2015First Direct Arena, Leeds, EnglandFor vacant WBC International super-featherweight title
16Draw13–1–2Martin Joseph Ward106 Dec 2014York Hall, London, England
15Win13–1–1Kakha AvetisianiPTS1012 Sep 2014iceSheffield, Sheffield, EnglandWon vacant International Masters super-featherweight title
14Win12–1–1Qasim HussainTKO2, 1:039 May 2014iceSheffield, Sheffield, England
13Win11–1–1Imre Nagy3, 1:297 Feb 2014iceSheffield, Sheffield, England
12Win10–1–1Andy Harris5, 1:2213 Dec 2013iceSheffield, Sheffield, EnglandFight stopped after Harris cut from accidental head clash
11Win9–1–1Michael MooneyPTS64 Oct 2013Ponds Forge, Sheffield, England
10Loss8–1–1Scott CardlePTS1020 Apr 2013Winter Gardens, Blackpool, EnglandFor vacant Central Area lightweight title
9Win8–0–1Andrejs PodusovsPTS630 Nov 2012Magna Centre, Rotherham, England
8Win7–0–1Ibrar RiyazPTS628 Sep 2012Magna Centre, Rotherham, England
7Win6–0–1Ivan GodorPTS68 Jun 2012Doncaster Dome, Doncaster, England
6Draw5–0–1Ronnie Clark42 Mar 2012Doncaster Dome, Doncaster, England
5Win5–0Bheki MoyoPTS410 Jul 2011Beachcombers Club, Cleethorpes, England
4Win4–0Youssef al-HamidiPTS44 Mar 2011Doncaster Dome, Doncaster, England
3Win3–0Graham FearnPTS422 Jan 2011Doncaster Dome, Doncaster, England
2Win2–0Kristian LaightPTS43 Dec 2010Doncaster Dome, Doncaster, England
1Win1–0Johnny Greaves417 Sep 2010Doncaster Dome, Doncaster, England