In-form Maxi Hughes lands WBC title in Dubai

The Rossington fighter has emerged as one of British boxing’s stand-out performers in 2020 – two years after he came close to quitting the sport.

Hughes enjoyed a career-best victory against former IBF title challenger Jono Carroll in August.

And he followed that up with a unaminous points win over the previously unbeaten Viktor Kotochigov in Dubai on Friday night.

The judges scored the contest 97-92, 96-93 and 95-94 in favour of lightweight Hughes, who bossed the early rounds and floored the Kazakh with a left uppercut in the third.

Kotochigov rallied and caught Hughes with a hefty right hand in the sixth.

But Hughes always had the edge and was able to see out the fight in the last couple of rounds.

Manager Stefy Bull has suggested on social media that Hughes could now be in line for a world title shot in 2021.

The 30-year-old was ready to quit boxing in 2018 following a frustrating defeat to Sam Bowen for the vacant British super featherweight crown.

Hughes told the Free Press last year: “I was done with it all. It was so disappointing to lose that last fight the way I did, with the doctor ending it, that I'd had enough.

“So for at least six months I’d retired. I just wanted to focus on the new baby and get away from it all.

“But I then had this feeling that I’d not achieved all I can in boxing. I'm still convinced that I can win titles at British, Commonwealth or European level.”