Maxi Hughes
Daniel "Maxi" Hughes (born 4 March 1990) is a British professional boxer who held the IBO lightweight title between 2021 and July 2023. At regional level, he held the British lightweight title in 2021. Professional career Hughes made his professional debut on 17 September 2010, scoring a four-round points decision (PTS) victory against Johnny Greaves at the Doncaster Dome. After compiling a record of 8–0–1 (0 KOs), 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 (MD). 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 (RTD). 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 (UD) 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 (TKO) 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