Maxi Hughes opened up what could be next for him.
The current IBO lightweight champion has options as he wraps up his next bout.
Hughes (25-5-2, 5 KOs) was in the ring at Utilita Arena in Sheffield on Saturday to witness the match Dalton Smith’s dazzling performance.
Smith brushed Sam O’Maison aside for six rounds, exclusively on DAZN, to add the vacant British lightweight title to his belt collection, which already includes WBC International Silver and WBA Inter -Continental baubles.
And Hughes, who was impressed with the composure of 25-year-old ‘Thunder’, caught up Boxing Social’s Ayman Khan after the show to talk about her own career and the potential to fight a star:
“I don’t want to get too excited and we’ll see what happens, but I’m focused on working towards the day that I’ve been given.”
Hughes, 32, has agreed terms to take on Kid Galahad, the former IBF featherweight world champion, who was knocked down at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield last November by Spain’s Kiko Martinez.
If that bout comes to fruition, it will take place on November 24 at Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, live exclusively on DAZN, on a hand by ‘regular’ WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood.
But the idea of a confrontation with Ryan Garcia, the highly rated 135-pound 23-year-old who abandoned and stopped former world champion Javier Fortuna last month to return to activity after a period of hiatus, refuse to leave.
Hughes added:
“Ryan spoke to me privately, so I knew what he was saying was coming out of his mouth. He wants it and he has no other reason to text me and ask me to fight.
“I don’t want to get too excited, but we’ll see. I told my team to try and focus on the fight with Garcia, try and let it happen, and if not, I’m going to fight Kid Galahad. “
Galahad hasn’t returned since that heavy defeat to Martinez but will strengthen two weight classes to meet Hughes.
And that’s what Rossington southpaw believes may be a step too far for the Sheffield stylist.
“I was more motivated than him and I didn’t show up in my last game.
“He knows what that ceiling looks like. He’s about to hit two pounds, I’m born underweight and I believe in myself.
“This is just another fight where someone is getting in the way of something big and I know I’ll get the job done and move on to the bigger battles.”
