The 23-year-old lightweight burst onto the scene with a series of razor-sharp, spectacular knockouts and was immediately earmarked as one of Britain’s brightest hopes.

The last few months have been less glamorous but absolutely crucial to Visioli’s development. Since December, he has had 20 useful rounds under his belt against tough, determined opposition. But as solid as his decision wins over Joe Howarth and Levi Giles were, they lacked a little of the stardust and pizzazz that caused many to tout him as a future world champion.

It was heavily rumored that Visioli (11-0, 6 KOs) would challenge British and Commonwealth lightweight champion Louie O’Doherty, but when that fight failed to materialize, the talented southpaw was left with a decision to make.

Faced with the choice of staying busy and waiting for a chance to present itself or forcing the issue, Visioli chose the later.

On October 24, he will fight the experienced, accomplished Hughes (29-9-2, 6 KOs) at Sheffield’s Utility Arena. The fight will act as chief support to Dalton Smith’s WBC junior lightweight title defense against Alberto Puello.

“It was excitement,” he told The Ring when asked how he felt when Hughes’ name was mentioned. “I was offered three opponents, and the other two – obviously, I'm not disrespecting them – but it's just that I couldn't get up for them.

“I always give 100% in training, but Maxi was offered first out of all of them and I went, 'Yeah, 100%.' The others were like an option if I didn't want Maxi, but I just went straight to Maxi. No hesitation, just went.

"This one, if I win it, pushes me kind of past British level, because I think he's past that level. So I'm very pleased with it, and I think it's a big reward if I get the job done properly.”

Hughes has lost his last two fights, but the results fail to tell the full story.

In December, his preparations for a fight with Bakhodur Usmanov were wrecked when his trainer, Sean O’Hagan, was taken seriously ill just hours before the fight. Hughes boxed but lost a close majority decision.

In March, he made an ill-advised, late notice move to junior welterweight and was stopped after five rounds against a much bigger Pierce O’Leary.

Given a good camp and a fair amount of time to make 135 pounds, things have been completely different for him.

The last time a younger lightweight tried to take Hughes’ name, Archie Sharp found it all but impossible to put together any kind of offense and drifted to a wide defeat in May 2025.

Before that, Hughes produced 10 of the most impressive rounds of his career, totally outboxing the big-punching Gary Cully.

Hughes is 36 years old and in his 16th year as a professional, but he hasn’t been in a long series of draining wars and is far too proud to allow an excellent career to peter out.

“His last two fights, I wouldn't take much from that because, you know, he had two weeks notice, went up a weight, so on and so on,” Visioli said. “Me and Mark Tibbs, my coach, we look at the fights before that fight, because he had a full camp.

"OK, they're two years ago, but Maxi's still in there. He’s got all the tricks. He knows everything, and if he’s 36, I don't think he's past it at all.”