Gary Cully vs Maxi Hughes Preview
Gary Cully and Maxi Hughes clash in lightweight action in Monte Carlo on December 14th as both men look to end 2024 with a victory. The pair know a win here would propel them up the ladder for a potential title shot down the line.
Cully has not reached the heights expected from Matchroom and suffered a setback following a shock defeat last year. Hughes will know this could be his last shot at reaching the summit as a veteran fighter. Can Cully topple his toughest opponent yet, or will Hughes be too experienced for the Irishman?
Gary Cully vs Maxi Hughes Predictions
Fight prediction: Maxi Hughes to win via decision
Gary Cully picked himself up from a gigantic upset following his loss to Jose Felix in May 2023. ‘The Diva’ went down twice in the third round before his corner threw in the towel, picking up the first loss of his career. He has bounced back since to win his previous two fights but has looked unconvincing at times.
Maxi Hughes has fought some top competitors throughout his 36-fight-long career. ‘Maximus’ is no stranger to the bright lights having fought all over the world. However, the former world lightweight champion has never quite reached the summit of boxing. The Yorkshireman has climbed the ladder several times but has painstakingly slipped on the last rung.
The 34-year-old has losses against William Zepeda Segura and a controversial one to George Kambosos Jr. in his last three fights. The talent to get this far in the division is vastly underestimated, but Maximus remains at the ‘gatekeeper’ level. Hughes will prey on Cully’s inexperience here. Our boxing prediction is for Maximus to leave Monte Varlo victorious on Saturday night.
Gary Cully won his most recent fight, but the unanimous decision was anything but comfortable. The Irishman could and should be as tough as they come in this division. He has an imposing frame and usually boasts a reach advantage over his opponent. Add impressive power behind his punches and Cully has the makings of a champion. However, he lets himself down with the fundamentals. His footwork is not sharp and he tends to back himself into corners. That will be the first strike when facing a fighter as experienced as Hughes.
Strike two is his chin. Cully leaves himself incredibly susceptible to big hits by sticking his chin high and out, which led to his upset loss against Felix. We have yet to see the Diva cut that out of his game. He fell into the same bad habits several times in his last fight against Francesco Patera. While Hughes may not have the knockout power of some fighters in his division, handing opportunities like that to a fighter of his calibre is at best handing him rounds.
Hughes has been in the ring with stronger fighters than Cully. He took Kambosos Jr. to the brink last July, only narrowly losing his IBO lightweight title. His victory over Kid Galahad in 2022 is arguably more impressive than any win on Cully’s resume.
If the Irishman can iron out the deficiencies in his footwork and defence, then Cully has the tools to become a genuine force in this division. Cully’s size advantage should allow him to walk any man down and command the ring. However, we simply have not seen enough of that from him in his most recent performances to indicate that Cully is ready to make this step up.
Gary Cully vs Maxi Hughes Fight Outcome
Gary Cully has to try to control the ring in this fight better than in his previous bouts. This fight will become a lot more competitive if that version of The Diva comes out on Saturday. However, we predict Hughes will push Cully back against the ropes, preying on his sloppy footwork.
Maxi Hughes Stops Efstathios Antonas In Round 6. Hughes Now 27-7 (6 KOs). #NowhereToHide pic.twitter.com/MswYqS4tDg
— B (@BS12OO) September 27, 2024
Hughes will pounce on Cully’s tendency to stick his chin up. That makes it far easier for him to hit the Diva, especially from someone as experienced as Maximus. The Brit may not have the power to knock Cully out, despite his most recent victory coming via TKO, but every punch is a scoring punch. Maximus can show the levels between him and his opponent, outscoring him on the way to victory.
Gary Cully vs Maxi Hughes Betting Tips
This fight is a real clash of youth vs experience, and the boxing betting markets have struggled to separate the two. However, Maxi Hughes enters as the slight favourite. The British fighter is 8/11 with our online bookmaker. This is the biggest test of Cully’s career, and Hughes still has plenty more left in the tank. If you are betting on the fight result, take the favourite.
Make no mistake, Gary Cully is no slouch. The Irishman has 19 professional fights compared to Hughes’ 36, but these are the fights needed to climb up the ranks. When at his best, the Irishman is an excellent talent. You can bet on Cully at 1/1 if you think he can cause the upset in Monaco.
You can extend those odds by betting on the fight outcome. Neither fighter possesses a gleaming knockout record, with both winning by a stoppage in just one of their last four fights. We expect this fight to go the distance. You can bet on Maxi Hughes to win by decision when betting on the fight outcome. If you don’t want to pick a winner in a bout that looks tight on paper, bet on the fight to go the distance instead.
A fight where the odds are as tight as this one can be nervy. If you are tentative about taking a punt on either fighter before the first bell rings, you can wait for the live betting markets. Both fighters will have settled into the bout by the third round and that could be a perfect time to bet in-play.
Gary Cully vs Maxi Hughes Head-To-Head and Key Stats
Gary Cully made his professional debut in 2017 and went on a tear, winning his first 16 fights. Many fans felt like The Diva had officially arrived following his first-round TKO victory over Jaouad Belmehdi in October 2022. Following that win, Matchroom extended his deal, earmarking the young Irish prospect for a future championship.
He followed up with another TKO victory, but shockingly lost his next on home turf at 3Arena, Dublin. Cully was the favourite to storm through Jose Felix but fell well short of expectations. The veteran caused one of the biggest upsets of the year. The Irishman has won his two return fights and now looks to climb back up the ladder.
Standing at 6’2” with a 74.4” reach, Cully is an imposing figure at lightweight. The Diva uses his reach and jab to keep his opponents at bay and tee off with big punches from range. For all his size, he gives up nothing in speed, able to throw punches and piece together smart combinations. He enters with a record of 18-1-0, winning 10 contests by TKO/KO. His only loss came via a TKO after his corner threw the towel in. Cully is the number one ranked Irish lightweight.
Maxi Hughes enters this fight as a seasoned professional, having begun his pro career in 2011. The Yorkshireman has fought in several weight classes, challenging for the titles at featherweight, super featherweight, and lightweight. He got a taste of gold when he defeated Jovanni Struffon for the IBO World lightweight title in 2022. Maximus defended his belt twice before losing via majority decision to Kambosos Jr. in an entertaining bout in 2023 on his US debut. The decision was met with controversy with many believing Hughes had done enough to win the contest.
A loss to the current WBC interim world lightweight champion William Zepeda Segura followed as Hughes was stopped for the first time in six years. The former IBO champ won his most recent fight, defeating Greek number two Efstathios Antonas via TKO in the sixth of six rounds. That was little more than a tune-up fight, and Maximus now faces a much tougher prospect in Cully.
Maxi Hughes will be at a considerable size disadvantage in this fight, standing at 5’7” with a 66.9” reach. However, the Brit’s ability to get on the inside and a sound defence mean his size rarely becomes an issue in his fights. He enters with a 27-7-2 record, winning six by KO/TKO and losing three of seven in the same manner. Hughes is the fifth-ranked British lightweight following Sam Noakes’ Wembley victory last week.