Maxi Hughes
Maximus
Bio
Right then, Maxi Hughes is one of the most under-appreciated technicians in British boxing. The Doncaster man has been in with the elite of his era — beaten or robbed against Joel Diaz Jr, Kid Galahad, Ryan Walsh, William Zepeda, George Kambosos, Lyndon Arthur and Sandor Martin — and somehow he's never quite had the run his pure boxing ability deserved.
He took the IBO world lightweight title from Jovanni Straffon in 2021 and defended it twice before being robbed against Joel Diaz Jr in his American debut. Make no mistake — Hughes is levels above the resume the casual fan sees. He's a clever, jab-led pressure fighter with a brilliant boxing brain, the kind of man other British fighters use as a sparring partner because they trust him not to take liberties and they trust him to make them better.
Hughes moved up to super-lightweight after the Kambosos loss and has won his two fights at 140, including a strong decision over Sandor Martin in Spain. On May 16, 2026 he faces unbeaten Watford prospect Lewis Sylvester on the Dave Allen vs Filip Hrgovic DAZN bill at the Eco Power Stadium — a properly local night in his home town. If you know, you know — when Hughes fights in Yorkshire, the cards usually look after him.