Justis Huni to defend heavyweight boxing title inside Fox Sports studios

Paul Gallen has been asked to commentate on Justis Huni’s revolutionary fight inside a television studio in three weeks.

Justis Huni poses for pictures after he was chosen for the team by the Australian Olympic Committee for the Tokyo Olympic Games, at the Gold Coast PCYC in Gold Coast on May 4, 2021. (Photo by Mike FREY / AFP)

Justis Huni will feature in a first-of-its-kind fight inside the Fox Sports television studio just three weeks before his clash against Paul Gallen.

In a hugely risky move, Huni will defend his Australian heavyweight title against No. 7 ranked Christian Tsoye on Wednesday, May 26, with the fight to be held in front of an exclusive crowd of just 36 people in the Artarmon building of Fox Sports who will broadcast it live.

Fox Sports has asked Gallen to be part of the commentary team for this event, but the former NRL star has not accepted the offer yet.

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Justis Huni will fight in front of just 36 people in a made for television event. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

This studio show – the brainchild of television executive Jarrod Frykberg who floated it four years ago – has never been tried before in Australia, but Fox Sports is testing the waters to see if it can be used in future to build the profiles of rising boxing stars.

If Huni were to lose his title to Tsoye, it would be disastrous for the planned Huni vs Gallen showdown on June 16 and would likely see it scrapped.

However, fight promoter Dean Lonergan is supremely confident his young champion will make a statement.

“There will only be 36 people invited to watch this fight live in the studio, they will be largely Sydney journalists and media identities who will get to see up close the awesome power and speed of the best heavyweight Australia has produced in 120 years,” Lonergan said.

Christian Ndzie Tsoye (left) will fight Huni on Wednesday, May 26. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

“Once the media and dignitaries at the event hear the thud of Justis Huni’s shots they will be questioning Paul Gallen’s sanity and wondering what on Earth is going through his head.

“Christian Tsoye (5-3-2, 4KO) has never been stopped, he’s had a decorated amateur career, he is bigger and stronger than Gallen and is 10 times a better boxer than Gallen with a granite chin.

“So this is the perfect adversary to feed to my beast before we take on the myth that Paul Gallen has built himself into that he is a real boxer.”

Given the outbreak of new COVID cases in NSW this week, Fox Sports executives will meet on Monday to discuss whether border closures may affect this 10-round fight proceeding in their studio but they remain confident.

The Clive Churchill Studio in the Artarmon building will be emptied, and a boxing ring installed for the show, that will feature only one other fight that is yet to be determined.

Paul Gallen stands to make up to $1.5 million for the bout against Huni on June 16. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dan Peled

Fox Sports’ head of content acquisitions Adam Howarth said: “This is potentially the last time we’ll see Justis on linear television, because then he fights Gallen on Main Event, after which he flies to Tokyo and if he wins an Olympic gold medal then we’re off to the races with a superstar heavyweight kid that can do anything.”

Huni (3-0, 3KO) and Gallen (11-0-1, 6KO) are scheduled to fight on June 16, with a venue to be determined soon.

Gallen stands to make up to $1.5 million for the bout after destroying former world heavyweight champion Lucas Browne in just 115 seconds last month.

“But all the money in the world won’t take away the fear from the pit of Paul Gallen’s stomach as he walks to the ring to face a young boxer whose only desire is to fight,” Lonergan said.

“That will be different to the circus acts we’ve seen of him beating guys well past their prime.”