In his first championship bout with the Professional Fighters League, Paul Hughes faced reigning champion Usman Nurmagomedov, ultimately suffering a narrow majority decision loss. Following the fight, Hughes expressed his belief that he won, criticizing the judges' scorecards while acknowledging a fourth-round head clash that halted momentum. Despite the disappointment of not claiming the title, Hughes reflected positively on his performance, vowing to come back stronger in future fights, and emphasized his strong desire to secure the championship belt.
"We all thought I won that one," Hughes said in a video on Instagram. "I think the judges' scorecards were pretty ridiculous. But I'll watch it back with a clear mind."
"I felt like the stoppage in the fourth round with the head clash, changed the momentum of the fight," Hughes said. "I feel like I was breaking him."
"I'm obviously disappointed," Hughes said. "I'm gutted. I'm proud of myself, but I need to get that back. I deserve to have that belt."
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