Maxi Hughes` career at the top level is far from over, as the Yorkshireman, often dubbed the “Cinderella Man,” is in contention for another significant title. Purse bids have been requested for a potential matchup between Hughes and Laid Douadi, with an April 16th deadline set to push negotiations forward. Prior to this development, Hughes already had a fight scheduled against Archie Sharp on May 23rd for the WBA Inter-Continental lightweight belt.
The EBU European lightweight title was previously held by Sam Noakes, who claimed it in April 2024 with a victory over Yvan Mendy. Noakes successfully defended the title once, five months later, defeating Gianluca Ceglia via an eighth-round stoppage. On March 27th, the EBU announced that Noakes had vacated the title due to his pursuit of a WBC world championship.
Laid Douadi has been proposed as the opponent to contest for the vacant title against the highest-rated available boxer. This boxer is Maxi Hughes, sporting a record of 28 wins, 7 losses, 2 draws, and 6 KOs. Hughes recently revitalized his career with a dominant 10-round victory against Ireland`s Gary Cully in Monaco. The GBM boxer, who was considered unlucky to lose a world title eliminator against George Kambosos in Oklahoma, now has another avenue to pursue championship honors.
Laid Douadi boasts an undefeated record of 26 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw. However, a closer look reveals only two wins by knockout and a list of opponents with numerous losses on their records.
Douadi, aged 32, does hold a few noteworthy titles, including the IBF Latino lightweight title. Should this fight be confirmed, overcoming a fighter of Hughes` caliber would present a significant challenge. Hughes, trained by Sean O`Hagan, has notable victories against fighters like Kid Galahad and Ryan Walsh.
