Maxi Hughes happy to be patient in bid to become unified lightweight champion

The Doncaster boxer defeated Kid Galahad with a points victory in Nottingham on Saturday night to continue his meteoric rise through the ranks.

Since losing to Liam Walsh in November 2019, the 32-year-old has won his last seven contests and is in the form of his career.

His record now stands at 26 wins, five defeats and two draws. He claimed the IBO belt at Headingley in September 2021 with a unanimous decision win over Jovanni Straffon before defending it against Ryan Walsh with a classy display in March.

He was the underdog with the bookmakers ahead of his fight with former IBF featherweight champion Galahad but again silenced his critics with a fine win.

Now he wants a shot at another lightweight world title and is happy to wait for that opportunity to come around.

Undefeated American Devin Haney is the undisputed champion at 135 pounds as he holds the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine belts.

He faces George Kambosos for the undisputed title on October 16 and Hughes will be keeping a keen eye on that contest.

"I am happy to wait around a bit now. I have cleared up domestically,” he said.

"I thought I had cleared up domestically when Ryan Walsh stepped up but Kid Galahad is the most recent to come up to lightweight.

"I didn't have to fight him but I gave him that opportunity.

"We will have a chat with Eddie [Hearn] and my team, I am happy to wait a few months for the big one to come around. I am number one in the UK and I am ready for some massive fights.

"I would love to win one of the main four world title belts. That is another goal of mine. Hopefully now my ranking has improved with the IBF.

"While I’m in this prime of course I’m going to carry on. [If I lose] I would still be willing to carry on. I’ve lost before and I know I’m resilient enough to bring myself back.

"It’s a short career. I don’t want to retire with any regrets. But if something clicks in my mind I might think I’ve had enough.”

Hughes said Galahad – who has now lost three of his last five fights – was one of his toughest opponents and that a Yorkshire rivalry with the Sheffield fighter made the win that bit sweeter.

He added: "On paper, that is my biggest win. It was really tricky. I have stepped up and proved people wrong again.

"It is between Kid Galahad and Liam Walsh for who are my trickiest opponents. It is a sweet victory.”

Hughes also hit out at Galahad’s trainer Dominic Ingle for a lack of class after the decision was announced.

There was plenty of bitterness between the two camps prior to the fight. Amer Khan, one of Galahad’s trainers, said Hughes was not a Premier League fighter and predicted beating Galahad would be a step too far.

Ingle and Hughes’ trainer Sean O’Hagan have history, with O’Hagan training his son Josh Warrington during his win over Galahad in 2019.

"One thing Dominic said to me before the decision was ‘I hope they paid you well for that, Maxi’. The man’s got no class,” he added.

“We have beaten them with their sad remarks regarding them being Premier League and I’m Championship. It looks like Man United have been toppled again.”