Porn, drugs, guns, Iron Mike and boxing: Justis Huni’s sparring partner’s wild past revealed

He took on Mike Tyson during his fearsome peak, dodged drug dealers as a schoolboy – and bedded over 100 women as a porn star. And now he’ll propel Australia’s heavyweight king onto the world stage.

WorldÕs tallest boxer Julius Long, sparring partner with Justis Huni, Bowen Hills. Picture: Liam Kidston

Australia’s heavyweight king Justis Huni has hired Mike Tyson’s old sparring partner and a former adult film star to help him prepare for the fight that could propel him onto the world stage.

The unbeaten Huni will officially move into the top 15 world rankings with the WBO and IBF organisations if he can dispose of Joe Goodall in their heavyweight blockbuster at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena on June 15.

Searching for some X-factor, Huni has found it in the form of monster American Julius Long, who jetted into Brisbane on Tuesday night with a reputation as the tallest boxer in the world.

At 216cm, the hulking Long is armed with a 229cm reach, making him the perfect sparring partner as the 193cm Huni (5-0, 4KO) leaves no stone unturned in his quest to knock out Goodall (8-0-1, 7KO), who stands four centimetres taller.

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Julius Long (R) has been brought in to spar with Australian heavyweight Justis Huni. And he has quite the story to tell Picture: Liam Kidston

Now 44, Long has lived a colourful life. He witnessed murders in hometown Detroit as a child. He was offered drugs on a daily basis walking to school.

He sparred with Mike Tyson during ‘Iron Mike’s’ prime.

As he chased his professional boxing dreams, Long even had an 18-month dalliance in the porn industry in a bid to pay the bills.

“There was good money in it,” says Long, who completed his first sparring session with Huni on Wednesday in Brisbane.

“I am from Detroit. Where I came from, kids would get shot dead at 10 years old and drugs were everywhere. Bullets were flying around into your living room.

“My brothers played in the NBA and for me boxing was a way out of life in Detroit with drugs, shootings and murders on every corner. Every time I walked to school people wanted to sell me drugs.

“Filming a porn video was nowhere near as scary as wondering if you would live day to day in Detroit.

“I used to go into my performances as ‘Mr S****ng’. I would go in all oiled up and get the job done.

“I did it for a year and a half while I was trying to get my boxing career off the ground. I started doing films around 2001 in my early 20s. I was ripped and had a lot of energy then.”

Huni (left) gets used to sparring the taller Julius Long. Picture: Liam Kidston

Asked how he went from boxing to cameo appearances as a porn star, Long said: “I was with boxing promoters and they had a side business in the porn industry, so they suggested I try my hand at it.

“It wasn’t too nerve wracking for me. The producers would oil me up and you would have a chat to the women back stage and if you had a connection, you turned things on for the cameraman.

“I slept with more than 100 women as a porn star, sometimes two and three at a time. You get some music and alcohol going for hours on end and some action is going to happen.

“Back then, I made about $100,000 during my time in the industry, it was enough to get my boxing career going and then I met Don King (famous American promoter) who helped set me up as a sparring partner for Mike Tyson.

“I have three beautiful girls now – they are 12, 11 and three (years old) – and that has changed my outlook on life and treating women differently.

“But I don’t regret doing it, it was an experience in life.”

Julius Long (R) claims to have made $100,000 during an 18-month career in the porn industry. Picture: Liam Kidston

Long, who has 18 wins from 44 professional fights, recalls his frightening stints in the ring with Tyson.

“Iron Mike was killing everyone back then,” Long recalls. “So with my height, I would go ‘pop, pop, pop’ with my jab, hit him in the nose and run away.

“When you see Mike Tyson angry wanting to come after you, it was a scary sight.

“Just surviving one round with Mike Tyson was a feat in itself.”

Long has lived in New Zealand for the past eight years with his Kiwi wife. His size will be crucial to help Huni and he backed the Brisbane-born ‘JPH’ to crush Goodall in his march to being a world-ranked fighter.

“Justis will destroy Joe Goodall,” he said.

“Goodall doesn’t have Huni’s arsenal. Huni is still developing as a professional but when he gets out of his amateur style, he will be a real threat in the years to come.

“I think a lot of Justis. I think he is a world-class fighter, but he hasn’t faced anyone my size.

“Me being the world’s tallest fighter, Huni can be as fast as he wants.

“But you still have to come to the ball game and I’m the ball game because I’m the biggest guy in boxing.”

Originally published as Porn, drugs, guns, Iron Mike and boxing: Justis Huni’s sparring partner’s wild past revealed