Joe Goodall loses to Efe Ajagba, Australia’s No. 1 heavyweight Justis Huni wins WBA international title
Joe Goodall’s manager concedes he is gutted after the highly-rated Aussie heavyweight suffered a huge career setback in a four-round loss to the man known as The Silent Roller.
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Joe Goodall’s world-title dream is in tatters after Australia’s heavyweight hopeful was towelled up by a Nigerian monster on American soil.
Goodall had no answer to the power of 107kg muscleman Efe Ajagba, with ‘Big Bad Joe’ suffering a fourth-round stoppage in a heavyweight hammering at Lake Tahoe in California on Sunday.
This was the biggest fight of Goodall’s career as the main event on a Top Rank card – four months after Australia’s No. 2 heavyweight shocked the boxing world with his upset of Stephan Shaw in the US in July.
Victory over Ajagba would have put Goodall into the WBC’s top 10 rankings, but the Brisbane-based big bopper is back to square one after being sliced and diced by ‘The Silent Roller’, who retained his WBC silver heavyweight world title.
Goodall (10-2-1, 9KO) is now miles away from a world-title shot after slumping to his second defeat in 13 fights, while Ajagba (19-1, 14KO) proved he is the real deal with this monstrous masterclass.
Such was the emphatic nature of his Shaw boilover, Goodall was signed to a five-fight deal by American Hall of Fame promoter Lou DiBella, who declared the 31-year-old was capable of challenging the division’s top dogs.
But on this evidence, Goodall’s career is at the crossroads, just a week after his countryman Justis Huni confirmed his status as Australia’s No. 1 heavyweight by outclassing Andrew Tabiti in Mexico.
“Joe is gutted,” said his manager Steve Scanlan.
“He took this fight on five weeks’ notice because it was a huge opportunity, but it wasn’t the greatest preparation.
“Joe got crook last week. It’s been minus six degrees over here and Joe was battling a chest infection.
“He is shattered he didn’t deliver his best, but there’s no excuses, Joe felt he lacked energy and Ajagba was just too strong.”
Goodall went into the bout with the psychological edge over Ajagba after beating the Nigerian as amateurs in the semi-finals of the 2014 Commonwealth Games on his way to a silver medal.
But almost a decade on, going toe-to-toe as professionals, the hulking Ajagba underlined why he is the WBC No. 7 as he exacted the ultimate revenge with a brutal belting of Goodall.
The Australian was under pressure early as Ajagba stole the ascendancy with a dominant first round highlighted by a potent jab which kept Goodall on the back foot.
Goodall had a better second round, tagging his opponent with a nice one-two combination, but Ajagba hit back in the third with a series of savage uppercuts that had Big Bad Joe wobbling on his feet.
Ajagba then finished the job 50 seconds into the fourth round, unleashing a flurry of left-and-right blows before referee Tony Weeks saved Goodall from hitting the canvas.
Scanlan concedes Goodall faces a long road back to becoming a genuine contender in the heavyweight class.
“Maybe there were a bit of nerves as the main event,” he said.
“When he beat Shaw, no-one expected us to win, but this was a massive fight under the bright lights and unfortunately it wasn’t the best version of Joe in the ring.
“Joe is filthy it got stopped when it did, he said he wasn’t really hurt, but Ajagba was well on top.
“The main thing is Joe lives to fight another day and it’s back to the drawing board.”
AUSSIE PHENOM TERRORISES NEW VICTIM TO CLAIM TITLE
Australia’s No. 1 heavyweight Justis Huni continued his surge towards a maiden world-title shot with the biggest win of his fledgling career in Mexico on Sunday.
The Brisbane-born Huni made his first statement on the world stage, claiming a unanimous points verdict (100-90, 98-92, 98-92) over American Andrew Tabiti in his maiden overseas fight.
The 24-year-old advanced his unbeaten record to 8-0 (4KO) and while there was no emphatic knockout blow, Huni was rarely troubled as he terrorised Tabiti (20-2, 16KO) over 10 rounds to clinch the vacant WBA international title.
Huni was making his debut under world promotional powerhouse Matchroom, whose boss Eddie Hearn declared the Queenslander was “three or four fights away” from challenging for a world title.
In his first fight in 358 days after battling an ankle injury which delayed this bout, the 107kg Huni was solid if not spectacular against Tabiti, who was the smaller man by 7kg after stepping up from cruiserweight.
The 34-year-old Tabiti landed some powerful shots but Huni mixed a good chin with some trademark razor-sharp left and right hooks to underline why he is one of the world’s most promising heavyweights.
“It feels good,” Huni said after taming ‘The Beast’ Tabiti.
“His speed and his movement was good, so I’m just happy I got the win.
“It was a different style to what I was expecting, but it was good to get the ring rust out, I just need more fights and continue my winning streak.
“I want to keep working my way up to the top.”
Once upon a time in Mexico. @justisjphhuni comfortably outpoints former world title challenger Andrew Tabiti, picking up his first win of the calendar year. #ozboxing#boxingpic.twitter.com/YXHzIzhGUR
— Aus-Boxing.com (@ausboxing) October 29, 2023
American commentators were impressed with Huni’s speed and movement for a heavyweight, but questioned whether he had the knockout power to go all the way in the land of the giants.
“It was a good performance from Huni, but he fought a guy coming up from cruiserweight and couldn’t knock him out,” said one American boxing pundit calling the fight for DAZN.
“You want to knock out a guy who is coming up to heavyweight.”
Matchroom boss Hearn, who signed Huni to a three-fight deal in February, is adamant ‘JPH’ has the talent to win a world title.
“Justis is still relatively inexperienced, but he has always stepped up and he beat Joe Goodall in Australia,” Hearn said.
“Tabiti was a big test. I believe Justis Huni will be a real force in the heavyweight division.
“Huni is already top 15 in the world, he wants a shot at the heavyweight world title and he is three or four fights away from that.
“You’re talking about a special kid.”
Huni showed no signs of early nerves, taking charge from the opening seconds with a strong first round highlighted by fast jabs, ring control and a better workrate than Tabiti.
The Australian continued his dominance in rounds two and three. Traditionally fast and slick at range, Huni used his greater size to force Tabiti to the ropes, landing some precise left and right shots trading in the pocket.
Big win for @justisjphhuni - a year out and a tough opponent! Big things ahead 🇦🇺
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) October 29, 2023
Huni upped the ante in the sixth. Rocked by a sweet right hook from Tabiti, Huni was spurred into action, unleashing a rapid three-punch combination to leave the American under siege against the ropes.
After copping a barrage, Tabiti slowed down in the seventh round, but the cruiserweight produced a stunning comeback in the eighth, tagging Huni with a crunching right which represented the best punch of the fight.
Huni showed a good chin absorbing that punch and he pressed on undeterred, showing superior output to take out the championship rounds despite swelling appearing under his right eye.
One judge gave Huni all 10 rounds and the WBO No. 15 vowed to stay busy as he ramps-up his quest for a maiden world-title shot.
“It’s onto the next fight,” he said.
“I want to stay busy and be back as soon as possible.
“I want to be back in December and stay active. I’m ready to go again.”
OLYMPIC PAIN DRIVES HUNI ON
– Brendan Bradford
Justis Huni has had nearly as many setbacks as professional fights, and is being driven by the pain of missing out on the Tokyo Olympics as he prepares his next assault on the heavyweight division.
Almost a year after his last fight – a unanimous decision win over the dangerous Kiki Leutele – Huni will take on experienced heavyweight Andrew Tabiti (20-1) in Mexico this weekend.
After two years of hand and foot injuries, he’s finally full fit and ready to make a statement.
“It’s been a rollercoaster, man,” Huni tells this masthead of his 7-0 career so far. “It’s been humbling, because I’ve had all these injuries just when I’m about to get on a roll.
“But having all these setbacks has made me know how to control myself, look forward and be
positive.”
Huni was set to make his American debut in June, but was forced out the day before leaving for New Orleans when he sprained an ankle in sparring.
Time to refuel ahead of tomorrow's North American debut.
— Aus-Boxing.com (@ausboxing) October 27, 2023
âš–ï¸ Justis Huni: 237.2 lbs
âš–ï¸ Andrew Tabiti: 221.2 lbs#ozboxing#boxingpic.twitter.com/mo9JhBeOgI
That was just the latest setback, but nothing compares to the broken hand that ended his Olympic dream in 2021.
One of the most talented amateur heavyweights Australia has ever produced, Huni was just months away from heading to Tokyo alongside Harry Garside, Skye Nicolson and Paulo Aokuso.
But, after beating Paul Gallen over 10 tough rounds in an Australian heavyweight title defence, a busted hand saw him watching from afar instead.
“We were looking for every option to get me to the Olympics, but the doctors all said that going over could make it worse and could be even longer out of the game,” he said.
“We got that operation done, but it was just devastating.
“My whole amateur career was built for that moment, and I had to miss out on it.”
Huni couldn’t bring himself to watch the super-heavyweight tournament in Tokyo, but watched his mates in green and gold.
“Watching the rest of the team over there and seeing Harry go all the way and almost make it to the final – that’s what I wanted to be doing beside him,” he said. “But everything happens for a reason.
“It’s just good to finally be back. I’ve only had two fights since then, and now it’s just a few more days until I’m back in action.”
After so many setbacks and injuries, Huni is realistic about his rise. He just wants to stay fit and active, but knows that many of the fighters he missed out on meeting in Tokyo are now in the professional ranks.
There’s always a chance to meet again.
“Most of them have turned pro now,” he said. “I feel like we’re the next wave of heavyweights coming up, so if I can be amoung them, I’ll count myself happy.
“We just need to keep plugging away and keep getting fights under my belt, keep developing and moving up the ranks.”
Eventually, that could result in a fight with Tyson Fury. Huni was disappointed not to be able to meet the Gypsy King when he was in Australia in May, but doesn’t rule it out in the future.
“I’m just seven fights in so I need to work my way up, get more recognised and everything will fall into place,” he said. “If I keep performing, I should be within the top 10 in the next couple of years.
“If I keep heading on the up and up, who knows what can happen. I just need to keep working to earn the right to be in that position.”
TABITI, THEN FURY: GOLDEN BOY HUNI’S PATH TO WORLD DOMINATION
– By Peter Badel
Justis Huni says he is ready to go “global” and is chasing the biggest fights against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua as Australia’s heavyweight golden boy prepares for his comeback to the ring.
Huni’s frustrating 358-day absence from boxing is finally over, with Australia’s No. 1 heavyweight (7-0, 4KO) to take on American Andrew ‘The Beast’ Tabiti (20-1, 16KO) in the Mexican city of Cancun on Sunday (AEDT).
It represents the biggest moment of the Brisbane-born pugilist’s career. It is Huni’s first overseas fight and his contractual debut with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom, the boxing promotional behemoth that can provide a gateway to the best rivals and richest bouts in the fight game.
For now, Huni is fully focused on tormenting Tabiti, but in time, the 24-year-old is hungry for world-title domination and would relish mega bouts against ‘Gypsy King’ Fury and Joshua, who is in the Matchroom stable.
Heavyweight king Fury just happens to fight on the same day as Huni in his clash with MMA monster Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia.
“I would love to fight guys like Joshua and Fury,” said Huni, who will fight for the WBA international heavyweight belt after a freak ankle mishap in training in June delayed this bout.
“I have trained my whole life to have the biggest fights on the biggest stages.
“If I had an opportunity with a guy like Fury, I wouldn’t think twice about it, but I understand there’s a lot of politics in the sport.
“A lot of stuff happens behind the scenes before a fight gets made, so I’ll just knock over who’s in front of me and one day hopefully I get those big fights.
“I’m not worried about being just the No. 1 heavyweight in Australia, I want to go global.
“That’s why I’m glad to be fighting overseas for the first time — to become known worldwide.
“My end goal is to become heavyweight champion of the world, so I’m not too fussed about the Australian rankings.
“I want to aim higher and go all the way.
“Skills pay the bills.”
In the case of Huni, few heavyweights in the world can match his skill, movement and razor-sharp hands.
The one knock on Huni is that he lacks the true knockout power to conquer the world. In his last fight against tough-as-nails Kiwi Kiki Toa Leutele in November, Huni admits he got carried away trying to knockout Leutele ... and almost ended up on the canvas himself.
Huni traded in the pocket and nearly got mugged. By the fifth round, he reverted to range and deployed his sublime skill to outbox Leutele and win a unanimous points decision.
This time, ‘JPH’ is returning to the slick style that has propelled him to the WBA No. 15 slot after just seven fights — the fastest rankings rise of any current heavyweight in the world.
“I’m going back to my style,” he said from Mexico.
“If the opportunity comes where Tabiti is ready to go, I will jump on him, but I’m not going out there to look for that one power shot. It will come.
“I’m not going out there to impress the critics who want to bag me about not having any power.
“If they have so much power, they can jump in there and do the job themselves.
“But I will use my speed and movement to get me over the line.
“I can’t wait to put on a show for a whole new audience. It’s my first fight overseas. I’m looking forward to it.
“I’m not nervous. It makes it easier fighting in front of strangers who haven’t seen me before.
“I want to put on a career-best performance and came away with a solid win.”
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