Justis Huni vows ‘ruthless’ change to set a path to world title

Australia’s No. 1 heavyweight Justis Huni is sick of going the distance in fights and has vowed to turn into a ruthless knockout artist to have any hope of winning a world title.

Australia’s No. 1 heavyweight Justis Huni is sick of going the distance in fights and has vowed to turn into a ruthless knockout artist to have any hope of winning a world title.

Huni has revealed how the sight of British boxing sensation Anthony Joshua brutally bludgeoning Francis Ngannou has inspired Australia’s heavyweight golden boy to overhaul his fighting style to compete in the land of the giants.

After two fights overseas, the Brisbane-born Huni has returned home and will have his first domestic fight in almost two years when he faces Troy Pilcher at the Fortitude Music Hall on July 25.

It is the very venue in which Huni announced himself as a rising star in October 2020, stopping Faiga Opelu to win the Australia heavyweight title in his professional debut.

Justis Huni is renowned for finesse, fast hands and sublime sped, but want to evolve into a knockout artist. Picture: Liam Kidston

Huni (9-0, 4KO) has since chalked up nine consecutive wins, including offshore wins over Andrew Tabiti and Kevin Lerena in the past eight months, but the one knock on the 25-year-old is that he lacks the power to win a world title.

As Huni sat ringside watching Joshua send Ngannou crashing to the canvas in Saudi Arabia in March with one of the most savage punches in boxing history, ‘JPH’ decided it was time for a change.

Renowned for his finesse, fast hands and sublime speed for a heavyweight, Huni wants to pulverise Pilcher and put the boxing world on notice.

“There’s been a big change in my style and you are going to see it on July 25,” Huni said.

“This is heavyweight boxing. The fans and people want to see knockouts.

“I am changing my style.

“I just want to bring more excitement. I want to start knocking guys out. I’m not going to stop anybody just boxing on the back foot, so I have done a lot of work and I’m going to be coming forward.

“I used to fight the Mike Tyson-style, a lot of head movement and aggression, but then I changed my style to succeed in the amateurs.

“But the pros are entirely different and I’m going back to the way I fought.

“I know I have the power to hurt guys.”

Justis Huni learned a key lesson watching Anthony Joshua finish Francis Ngannou. Picture: Liam Kidston

The wake-up call came in the Middle East four months ago fighting Lerena on the undercard of the Joshua-Ngannou blockbuster.

Huni won on points but was rocked by a vicious Lerena punch in the 10th round and spent the final 90 seconds in a dreadful daze as he somehow survived to claim victory.

Then he watched Joshua finish off Ngannou with one-punch knockout power. Crack. Lesson learned.

“I think if I don’t change, it would be hard to win a world title,” he said.

“I found that out in my last fight (against Lerena). I got hit and I got hurt. I don’t want to go through that again. I don’t want to be there in the 10th round. I want to get guys out earlier and that’s my plan moving forward.

“I was there ringside when he knocked out Ngannou and hearing the crack, it was amazing.

Australia’s top heavyweight boxer Justis Huni will fight Troy Pilcher, who is unbeaten in 10 fights and has more knockouts than Huni. Picture: Liam Kidston

“There was just this massive thump. Joshua put everything into that punch and it was all over.

“The power … man it was crazy.

“It was a buzz for me watching it. That made me realise it’s time to start stepping up.

“That’s why I want to start getting my opponents out of there if I want to compete with the best.

“You don’t get paid for overtime in this sport.”

Pilcher (9-0-1, 7KO) is unbeaten in 10 fights and has more knockouts than Huni. The Gold Coast-based heavyweight is plotting a monster boilover.

“I have nothing to lose and everything to gain,” he said.

“I can go the distance with Huni. My engine is my strongest attribute.

“It’s a massive opportunity for me. I want to prove I belong with the big hitters in Australia.”

Originally published as Justis Huni vows ‘ruthless’ change to set a path to world title