Justis Huni’s promoter dares Sonny Bill Williams to take on the Australian heavyweight champion

Justis Huni has been cleared to return to the ring after a shock concussion and his camp have scoffed at suggestions Sonny Bill Williams could conquer the world if SBW returns to boxing.

An invitation to take on Justis Huni has been made to Sonny Bill Williams if he is serious about resurrecting his professional boxing career.

Justis Huni’s promoter has slammed Sonny Bill Williams as a “myth” and challenged the NRL legend to prove his bona fides as a professional boxer by facing the Australian heavyweight champion.

Huni (2-0, 2KO) has been cleared to return to the ring following a freak concussion, with the 110kg ‘JPH’ to take on 205cm Newcastle giant Jack Maris at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on April 10.

The green light for Huni came just four days after Sonny Bill revealed he is keen to resurrect his boxing career after winning all seven of his professional heavyweight bouts between 2009 and 2015.

Watch Boxing Live & On-Demand on Kayo. Selected international fights, classic bouts and more. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Williams beat South African veteran Francois Botha to win the WBA international heavyweight title in 2013, only to be stripped of that belt and a Kiwi title after a boxing hiatus to focus on his NRL and All Blacks careers.

The 35-year-old Williams believes he has a “couple of years” left in boxing and Huni’s promoter Dean Lonergan dared the dual international to test himself with a showdown against the Tokyo Olympics gold-medal hopeful.

Justis Huni’s promoter says the Australian heavyweight king would wipe the floor with Sonny Bill Williams.

“If Sonny Bill wants a serious boxing career, he should jump in with Justis Huni,” said Lonergan, who brokered the Jeff Horn-Manny Pacquiao epic at Suncorp Stadium in 2017.

“Justis would happily put his lights out very quickly and stop the farce that is any suggestion that Sonny Bill could win a world title.

Sonny Bill Williams believes he has a “couple of years” left in boxing.

“Sonny Bill has been an amazing rugby and NRL player, but as a boxer, he’s a myth.

“If Sonny Bill is serious about being a professional boxer, I challenge him to get in the ring with Justis and let‘s see what he’s got.

“Justis would fight Sonny Bill in a heartbeat. He made history by winning the Australian heavyweight title in his first pro fight, something that hasn’t been done for 120 years.

“To be fair to Khoder Nasser (Williams‘ agent), he is very astute and he understands Sonny Bill’s limitations as a boxer.

“If he was to get in the ring with Justis, he would get destroyed.

“There is talk about Sonny Bill fighting for a world title, but he is kidding himself. Justis would knock his lights out.”

Huni won his first two pro fights against Faiga Opelu and Arsene Fosso with brutal ease, but he suffered a shock setback in January when he was concussed after skylarking with a mate outside the ring.

The Brisbane hulk was fortunate to avoid serious injury and is ready to launch a trilogy of comeback fights, including a showdown with Lucas Browne, before he attempts to win gold as an amateur at Tokyo.

“Justis has got the all clear to return to the ring,” Lonergan said.

“His father has been keeping a close eye on him and has seen some great progress in the last two or three weeks.

“It will only be a six-round fight against Jack Maris and then he will have two more fights before he goes to the Olympics.

“I expect Lucas Browne to knock out Paul Gallen and once he has beaten Gallen, Huni will be ready for him.

“If Justis can beat Lucas Browne as a former world champion, Huni could potentially go the Olympics ranked in the top 15 fighters in the world and then he‘s on the path to a world-title shot one day.”