Connor Hughes made a definitive statement to the entire PFL lightweight division with a spectacular one-punch knockout at PFL Belfast. Facing Sebastien Di Franco in the evening`s feature fight on Saturday, the promising English talent delivered arguably the best performance of his career so far, rendering Di Franco unconscious with a powerful right hook in the second round.
Hughes came out aggressively from the start, setting the pace with his sharp striking and effectively targeting Di Franco`s legs with low kicks. The fight-ending sequence occurred in the second frame when Hughes unleashed a perfectly timed right hook that sliced through Di Franco`s guard, immediately sending him to the canvas and bringing the contest to a halt.
This impressive win secures Hughes a spot in the semifinals of the 2025 PFL Europe lightweight championship tournament. Hughes had a strong showing in the previous year`s competition, reaching the finals of the 2024 PFL Europe lightweight championship before ultimately finishing as the runner-up after a loss to Jakub Kaszuba. His next opponent in the upcoming semifinals will be Gino van Steenis.
