Gary Cully Plans to Make it his time by Calling Time on Maxi Hughes Career
Gary Cully says he’ll call time on Maxi Hughes career while making it his time for a world title shot this weekend.
Cully and Hughes meet in a fight that has been four years in the making on Matchroom’s annual Monaco card live on DAZN on Saturday.
It’s a bit of a crossroads fight for both with the winner climbing the ladder toward world honours and the losers sliding down the snake toward mini-rebuild territory.
‘The Diva’ is determined to ensure he rolls a six and lands at the foot of the biggest ladder in the game.
“I’m very happy to be in Monaco and get some sunshine on my face in. December but I’m very focused on the job I’ve got to do on Saturday night. I want to push on after this and win world titles. I can’t wait to get in there and do the business,” Cully said in Monaco.
The fight has been four years in the making but the Kildare southpaw believes it’s come at the perfect time for him.
He also suggests the timing is right for Jono Carroll and James Fryers defeater, Hughes to be put into retirement.
“I keep saying I want to challenge for and win World Titles and Maxi has been at that fringe level. It’s a fight that has been talked about for years and Maxi pulled out of the fight when it was originally meant to happen in 2020. I think he made the right decision because he’d won a title, had his time in the sun and now it’s a good time for him to say farewell to the sport,” he adds.
“It’s a big fight for me but it’s time for me to push on, I’m 28 years old and I’m fresh. I’m experienced myself, I’ve been in this game my whole life – I walked into the gym at six years old and had my first fight at eight, winning European gold in 2012 when Maxi was fighting Michael Mooney.”
In the four years since they were first linked, England’s Hughes has racked up some big wins and fought against some massive names.
Cully points out he isn’t fresh to the game either and believes this is one of those times were a fresh engine is more important than miles on the clock.
“I’ve been fighting at a high level since I was 15/16 years old, traveling the world with my countries and winning medals around the world, so experience isn’t something I’ll be lacking on Saturday night.
“Maxi might be lacking some youth in there, he’s getting on a little bit now. His last three performances haven’t been great. It’s a great fight and a fight that makes sense for us both at this stage of our careers and the winner can push on. I’m looking forward to getting in there, getting the win and making a statement on Saturday night.”
“I think I will stop Maxi. His engine is going to be questionable in there going into the later rounds, so we’ll see who has got the biggest gas tank and the most experience, but I definitely expect the stoppage.”
Picture By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing.
