A current world champion signed to Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing has taken to social media to announce their disappointment and lack of recent fights, blasting Heearn for not providing enough opportunities to shine.
Nina Hughes is the WBA bantamweight champion, and after turning professional at the age of 39, she wasted no time in rising to the peak of the bantamweight division.
She defeated Jamie Mitchell (8-0-2) in just her fifth fight to claim the WBA crown when the two met in a clash in Dubai in November 2022.
Since becoming champion, Hughes has fought just once, outpointing Katie Healy (6-0) on a Sunny Edwards card in London back in June, and she has now taken to social media to notify fans that her inactivity is through no fault of her own.
“To answer everyone who messages me asking about fight news, to be honest I’m not sure why I haven’t been given a date yet and believe me I’m not happy about being inactive and [I am] definitely not avoiding anyone or turning any fights down as I have heard today.
“It’s embarrassing to have to write this but I have done a lot in the amateur and professional [ranks] and never avoided anybody.”
Hughes went on further to say that she hopes things begin to change for the better over the next 12 months.
“I am not deluded and fully aware of my age and maybe I am not as sellable as some girls being a “normal mum of 41-years-old” but I’m me and at the end of the day I am still a legitimate world champion who appreciates the people and opportunities that I have been given in my career.
“Hopefully 2024 is a good year and you see me out again in unifications or defending against my mandatory, until then I will be working hard in the gym and waiting on dates.”
Hughes went on to claim that the ‘promoters won’t put the fights on for the right money’, but remains hopeful of unification bouts against the likes of Dina Thorslund (WBC) and Miyo Yoshida (IBF), once she has faced WBA mandatory challenger Seren Cetin (11-0).
