Maxi Hughes prepares to spoil St. Patrick’s party with retirement looming

Maxi Hughes was working on his garage when he got the call that brought him back to the ring.

Just two months after a loss to Bakhodur Usmonov in Dubai, the star will take up the mantle once again in Dublin as the outsider bidding to score an upset.

His latest foe is Pierce O’Leary, the unbeaten Irish super lightweight hoping to spark a frenzy at the 3Arena across the St. Patrick’s Day weekend in the Irish capital.

The contest serves as the co-main event to the WBA super featherweight title fight between Jazza Dickens and Anthony Cacace, and Hughes will be hoping to put a dampener on proceedings before the much-anticipated world title fight.

Hughes ready to upset under pressure O'Leary

There are benefits to fighting in your home country.

The backing of your own fans can be the extra edge needed to overcome a tough fight, but there is also the pressure of sending them home happy with a loss ruining their sporting evening.

O’Leary is the favourite to beat Hughes, but being the underdog is nothing different for the Brit.

His career best win against Jovanni Straffon saw him do something which not many thought he was capable of, and heading into this clash with O’Leary, Hughes insists all the pressure is on the Irishman to deliver.

“It’s good to be the underdog, the away fighter, the crowd silencer, in terms of that, there is no pressure on me,” Hughes told DAZN News.

“There’s a lot of pressure on Pierce, it’s his first time boxing in Dublin, in front of his own fans. I think he’s sold around 2,000 tickets so there’s a lot of pressure there.

“I haven’t got any of that, I can just turn up and spoil the party.”

IBO belt to give Hughes one last shot at the big time

If Hughes does manage to beat O’Leary, he will become a two-time world champion with the IBO, after enjoying a reign at lightweight between 2021 and 2023.

The IBO belt is one that Hughes has fond memories of, and brought some big opportunities, including a trip to America where he suffered a controversial points loss to George Kambosos Jr.

“I was an underdog winning the belt against Straffon, I was the underdog defending the belt against Kid Galahad, and I was a big underdog against George Kambosos, and while it says on the record it’s a loss, everyone knows it was a win.

“I had some good fights with that belt, it opened a lot of doors, and I’m sure the super lightweight version will do the same.”

When will Hughes retire from boxing?

At the age of 36, there is not much time left for Hughes to add more ‘big’ fights to his resume.

This interview with DAZN News took place on Hughes’ birthday, and when a boxer’s career heads towards the dreaded 40, retirement becomes a real question.

“I keep joking with my wife I’m going to be fighting until I’m 40,” Hughes jokingly responded when asked about how many years in boxing he has left.

“However, I have promised her I won’t keep fighting until I’m 40. I feel like with this opportunity, going to get the win next week, I can have a good run of fights, and then I’ll be happy to walk away.

“I want to walk away on my own terms, but I know right now is not the time for me to walk away, I’m still too hungry, too ambitious.”

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While Hughes’ ambition is stopping him from hanging up the gloves for the good, there is the danger that he will continue for too long and could be in a similar position to stablemate and friend Josh Warrington.

Warrington’s rematch loss to Leigh Wood last month was a difficult watch. The former’s mind had the right intentions, but he was unable to execute his gameplan in the ring and is now staring retirement dead in the face.

After witnessing Warrington’s decline first hand, Hughes does not want to find himself in a similar position and knows the red flags which will signal the end of his boxing career.

“I’d have to check my bank balance,” Hughes said jokingly. “but I’ve spoken to a lot of fighters who have retired, and I asked them, ‘When did you know?’, and they say ‘You’ll know.’ “

“It’s only something that I will know inside, and that’s the advice of quite a few fighters I’ve spoken to.

“All I know is that it’s not right now with the desire and ambition I’ve got.”

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