Kambosos wins controversial decision over Hughes in eliminator
Keyshawn Davis goes 10 rounds for first time, routs Francesco Patera
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Lightweight contender Maxi Hughes came into his IBF title elimination fight riding a seven-fight winning streak and after going the distance with former unified champion George Kambosos Jr. on Saturday night, it appeared that he had No. 8 wrapped up after a strong performance.
And then the scores for the main event of the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card were read.
They sounded like something out of a fairy tale: 114-114, 115-113 and a mind-boggling outlier score of 117-111, giving Kambosos a majority decision win that left the non-partisan crowd at FireLake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma, booing and Hughes in shock.
“I’m absolutely devastated,” Hughes said. “Nobody knew who I was. Nobody thought I was supposed to be in George’s league. Tonight, I came and I showed that I should have had my hand raised. I don’t want to take George’s moment, but I’m gutted.”
Hughes had every right to be after appearing to handily outbox the more aggressive but largely ineffective Kambosos, who was returning to the ring for the first time since losing back-to-back lopsided decisions at home in Australia to Devin Haney in 2022, first in a unification fight for the undisputed 135-pound crown in June and in the immediate rematch in October.
