Hughes edges out Galahad in Nottingham via majority decision

Maxi Hughes continued his superb momentum with a close points decision victory over former world champion Kid Galahad in Nottingham on Saturday night.

While not the most entertaining of spectacles, Hughes cemented his position as one of the most improved boxers in the country with a deserved victory after twelve rounds on Saturday night. The Leeds man was simply the busier for much of the fight, and while Galahad certainly showed more urgency down the stretch it proved not to be enough on the judge’s scorecards. A man who is often renowned for his defensive abilities, Galahad appeared to easy to hit at times with Hughes enjoying much success with simple straight lefts down the centre to push back the forthcoming Sheffield man. Many rounds were tight but the more eye-catching work often fell in favour of the thirty-two-year-old Hughes which no doubt played a big part in the decision of the officials at the sound of the final bell.

Nottingham, UK: Maxi Hughes vs Kid Galahad, IBO World Lightweight Title, 24 September 2022 Picture By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing Maxi Hughes wins held aloft by Josh Warrington

Galahad’s trainer Dominic Ingle admitted during fight week that the loser would have nowhere to go beyond Saturday and so it will be interesting to see Galahad’s next moves in the coming weeks. Hughes meanwhile can possibly look forward to a deserved payday in America, potentially against superstar Ryan Garcia, a man that Hughes has been linked with on several occasions already.

Terri Harper became a two-weight world champion in the chief support with a dominant display over super-welterweight champion Hannah Rankin in an entertaining Scotland versus England battle. After a difficult ten months which began with her surrendering her super-featherweight title to Alycia Baumgardner in a devastating knockout defeat, Harper jumped up three weight divisions to take on an in-form Rankin and didn’t disappoint, looking as though the extra weight had given her a new lease of life at 154lbs.

Harper looked sharp for the majority of the evening, regularly landing clean with a straight right-hand as she caught the oncoming champion, who suffered a nasty cut in the second following another crisp shot from the Doncaster fighter. Rankin enjoyed sporadic success but could not pin Harper down often enough to score points needed to maintain her titles on the night. A huge super-welterweight unification now lies ahead against Natasha Jonas for the newly-crowned champion, a fighter Harper knows well following their controversial draw at 130lbs in 2020 in a fight many felt Jonas deserved the nod in.

Nottingham, UK: Hannah Rankin and Terri Harper, IBO & WBA World Female Super Welterweight Title, 24 September 2022 Picture By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing Terri Harper wins

Cyrus Pattinson forced a sixth-round stoppage of Jorick Luisetto as he stepped up to ten-rounds in just his fifth professional contest, scoring his third win inside the distance in the process. Pattinson, who enjoyed a decorated amateur career, floored the Frenchman twice in the sixth before referee Bob Williams intervened to signal the end of the bout.

Further down the card, heavyweight prospect Solomon Dacres also stepped up to ten-rounds for the first time as he dominated the tough but limited Ariel Esteban Bracamonte. Dacres was deducted a point in the ninth for a punch deemed to veer low of the Argentinian’s waistband, proving the only blemish on the Warley man’s performance with all three judges him a 99-90 winner upon the conclusion of the ten round contest. Cheavon Clarke forced a fourth-round stoppage of Marcos Karalitzky in their scheduled eight-round cruiserweight contest, while top super-welterweight prospect Junaid Bostan scored his third stoppage in as many outings with a sixth-round blowout of Anas Isarti.

Anthony Crolla‘s charge Rhiannon Dixon comfortably outpointed Edina Kiss over six rounds at lightweight, and Mohammed Sameer successfully whitewashed Dale Arrowsmith over four at middleweight.