Maxi Hughes seemed to capitalize on the biggest opportunity of his late-blooming boxing career Saturday night.
The British southpaw still lost a majority decision to former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. in their 12-round lightweight fight at FireLake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma. England’s Hughes, who sought this fight and traveled to the United States for it, boxed effectively against Australia’s Kambosos, but judges Josef Mason (117-111) and Gerald Ritter (115-113) still scored Kambosos the winner of nine and seven rounds, respectively.
Judge David Sutherland scored their fight a draw, 114-114.
Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs) had his seven-fight winning streak come to an end and lost his IBO lightweight title to Kambosos. By controversially winning what was also an elimination match, Kambosos moved into the number two position in the IBF’s lightweight ratings.
If Devin Haney gives up his IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO lightweight titles to move up to the 140-pound division, Kambosos could battle Argentina’s Gustavo Lemos (28-0, 18 KOs), the IBF’s number one contender, for the IBF’s unclaimed championship in his next fight.
Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs) won for the first time since the Sydney native upset undefeated, unified lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez by split decision in November 2021. Haney (30-0, 15 KOs), the undisputed lightweight champ, dominated Kambosos in back-to-back 12-round title fights in 2022, but Sydney’s Kambosos returned to the ring as more than a 3-1 favorite versus Hughes.
Hughes was an underdog in seven of his past eight bouts, but he had won six of those fights. He lost for the first time Saturday night since British contender Liam Walsh (23-1, 15 KOs) beat him by unanimous decision in a 10-rounder that took place in November 2019 in London.
The 30-year-old Kambosos boxed a southpaw for the first time since his third professional bout. He had difficulty dealing with Hughes’ movement and technical skill throughout their bout, and he didn’t appear to make the adjustments necessary to win.
It seemed Kambosos needed a knockout to win entering the 12th and final round, but it was actually the light-punching Hughes who needed to stop Kambosos, who has never been knocked out.
Kambosos landed a right hand 55 seconds into the 12th round, but it didn’t affect Hughes, who mostly fought defensively during the final three minutes. Hughes mostly made Kambosos miss with his power punches in the last round.
A left by Hughes hit an exposed Kambosos with just over 30 seconds on the clock in the 11th round, which Hughes mostly controlled. A left uppercut by Hughes landed 1:05 into the 11th round.
A sweeping left hand by Hughes connected just before the 10th round ended. A left uppercut by Hughes landed with about 25 seconds to go in the 10th round.
Referee Gerard Ritter warned Kambosos for using his forearm during a clinch 40 seconds into the 10th round.
Hughes boxed effectively again during the ninth round, when he occasionally connected with left hands and often slipped Kambosos’ punches.
Hughes connected with a straight left and quickly move out of Kambosos’ punching range with under 50 seconds remaining in the eighth round. Hughes’ right hook landed in an exchange a little more than a minute into the eighth round.
A left hand by Kambosos knocked Hughes into the ropes with about 35 seconds to go in the seventh round.
An overhand left by Hughes landed flush with just over 1:10 to go in the sixth round. An accidental clash of heads opened a jagged cut above Hughes’ left eye barely a minute into the sixth round.
Hughes slipped in a left uppercut as Kambosos came forward with just over 20 seconds to go in the fifth round.
Hughes’ left made Kambosos reset his feet with just over 1:50 to go in the fifth round. Blood began flowing from a cut above Kambosos’ right eye soon thereafter.
Kambosos’ right landed with about 45 seconds remaining in the fourth round. Hughes landed another left to Kambosos’ body with just over a minute to go in the fourth round.
Hughes’ left to Kambosos’ body made him hold Hughes with just under 20 seconds on the clock in the third round.
Hughes’ left uppercut connected just before the midway mark of the third round. Kambosos clipped Hughes with a right hand barely a minute into the third round.
Kambosos caught Hughes with a right hand as Hughes moved forward just before the second round concluded.
Another straight left by Hughes connected with just over 30 seconds to go in the second round. Hughes’ straight left landed with just over 1:15 on the clock in the second round.
Hughes’ left landed to Kambosos’ body as Kambosos came forward a few seconds before the first round ended.
Hughes’ left to Kambosos’ body and right hook to his head connected with just under a minute remaining in the opening round. A straight left by Hughes landed about 1:10 into the first round.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.