MALMESBURY boxer Joe Hughes says he ‘does not understand’ how he lost his British super-lightweight title fight to Robbie Davis Jr after watching the fight back.

Hughes was forced to give up his European belt on Saturday night as well as his hopes of becoming British champion following a closely-fought loss to reigning title-holder Davis Jr by unanimous decision in the Liverpool fighter’s home city.

The three judges scored the fight 113-115, 110-118 and 114-115, and while Hughes could just about accept a close defeat on the scorecard, he took exception to the wide margin of victory perceived by judge Terry O’Connor.

While in the ring, Hughes had few qualms about the result, yet having watched the fight back ‘a few times’ in the days since his loss, Hughes is now adamant he was unfairly denied his dream of becoming British champion by poor officiating.

He said: “I knew I had to win by a long way and by the end of the fight, I felt a bit negative about it because I didn’t really feel like I’d done enough. I knew they were going to give it to him.

“But I’ve watched it back a few times now, and I honestly can’t see how they gave it to Robbie.

“In my opinion, I won about eight rounds – six or seven really clearly – and then a few close ones that you could give to me. Watching it back, I thought I won clearly, to be honest.

“In the past, when I’ve lost fights, it’s been easier to swallow because it’s been fair enough and you’re able to see what you’ve done wrong.

“Don’t get me wrong, it was a close fight with a lot of close rounds, but I felt like I’d done enough.

“And for one judge to have it that Robbie won 10 rounds and I’d only won two is either incompetent or corrupt.

“I don’t know what’s gone on there – I wouldn’t like to think it was a corruption thing, so it must just be an incompetent thing.”

Defeat to Davis Jr was Hughes’ second failed attempt to hold the British belt aloft and the second time he feels he has been unfairly denied following the 28-year-old’s controversial draw against Tyrone Nurse back in April 2017.

Unsure of what the future may hold as of yet, Hughes stated he would certainly be keen on a rematch, but doubts Davis Jr would entertain the idea.

Hughes said: “A rematch is something I’d want, but it’s nowhere near that simple.

“The promoters would have to do a deal for it and Robbie would have to accept it. There are no contractual obligations to it.

“There are two ways to look at it – he might feel the backlash and want the rematch to prove to himself that he deserved it, or he might think that he’s had such backlash out of this, he might just want to brush it under the carpet and move on.”