George Kambosos Jr. earns majority decision win over Maxi Hughes - ESPN

Former lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. returned to the win column — but in highly controversial fashion — with a majority decision victory over Maxi Hughes on Saturday night in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

The 114-114, 117-111 and 115-113 scores in favor of Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs) were met by a chorus of boos as a frustrated Hughes shook his head in disappointment.

Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs) entered the ring nearly a 3-1 underdog, then delivered a career-best performance on the strength of his southpaw jab and slick boxing. He stunned Kambosos with a left hand to the body in Round 3 and then sliced up the Aussie fighter's right eye in the fifth round with a straight left.

That punch down the middle was Hughes' best weapon all night in the ESPN main event, but it wasn't enough to win over the three judges.

«I'm absolutely devastated,» said Hughes, who out-landed Kambosos 98-90. «Nobody thought I was supposed to be in George's league. Tonight, I came and I showed that I should have had my hand raised. I don't want to take George's moment.

»I used my footwork. I made him miss and pay. I landed the cleaner shots. I don't want to sound like a sore loser, and I will watch it and assess it, but everyone here now knows who Maxi Hughes is."

Hughes, a 33-year-old from England, was coming off the biggest win of his career, a majority decision victory over former champion Kid Galahad in September. He's likely to land another meaningful opportunity following his U.S. debut, but it's Kambosos who moves on to bigger fights.

Kambosos, a former four-belt lightweight champion, was looking to rebound from a pair of losses to Devin Haney in Australia last year and did so after a slow start.

«We won the fight by many rounds,» said Kambosos,