Maxi Hughes will now face Kakhaber Avetisian this Friday at Ice Sheffield following the late withdrawal of Joseph Laryea. The Ghanaian was scheduled to arrive in the UK earlier this week but didn’t board his flight and instead told promoter, Dave Coldwell, that he wanted the fight postponed in order to have more time to prepare.

This demand was rejected and Hughes now faces the experienced Georgian who holds a win over former world title challenger, Andreas Evensen. The fight is over ten rounds for the vacant super-featherweight International Masters title.