‘Six rounds’: Aussie heavyweights’ bold calls ahead of 114-year grudge match

Justis Huni and Joe Goodall faced off once again ahead of their heavyweight clash, and if their teams are to be believed, it’s going to be brutal.

Goodall and Huni are ready to go. Photo: Fox Sports

Joseph Goodall’s team has thrown down the gauntlet to Aussie heavyweight boxing prodigy Justis Huni, setting the stage for fireworks in the ring.

Ahead of what it being billed as the biggest heavyweight fight in Australia since the 1908 clash that saw Jack Johnson defeat Tommy Burns to become world champion, the fighters were saving the big shots for the ring but their camps were ready to let their words fly.

Watch Heavyweights Justis Huni vs Joseph Goodall battle for the WBO Oriental and IBF Pan-Pacific Regional titles. Wednesday 15 June from 7PM AEST LIVE with Main Event on Kayo Sports & Foxtel. ORDER NOW >

Huni and Goodall have travelled similar paths in their journey’s to the top of the Australian heavyweight scene.

The 29-year-old Goodall won Commonwealth Games silver in 2014 and was Australia’s first world championship medallist in 26 years when he won bronze in 2017 but missed out on Olympic selection.

Huni, 23, claimed bronze just two years later in 2019 and made the Australian Olympic team, only to pull out after a hand injury suffered while training for his fight against Paul Gallen last June.

Both are ready to take the next step in their careers as the winner will likely move into the top 15 in the IBF, WBO and WBC rankings, meaning they would be eligible to fight for the world title.

Justis Huni faces off with Joseph Goodall. Picture: Matthew Poon

Goodall’s manager Steve Scanlan even promised the fight would not go six rounds.

“Joe’s very relaxed, he’s obviously been preparing for this fight for about 12 months with Kevin Barry over in Las Vegas,” Scanlan said.

“He’s primed, he is rock solid, he’s physically like granite stone, he’s put all the work in so he’s a totally different beast than what anyone’s seen before.

“I’m really excited about this fight and I’m absolutely not overlooking Justis in what he is and what it can be. But I do believe that Joe stops it within six.”

On the other side of the equation, it has been a long-time coming after a year out of the ring for the 5-0 Huni after his hand injury as well as two bouts of Covid-19.

And just last week, Huni’s family house was sprayed with five bullets in a drive-by shooting.

Huni’s father and trainer Rocki said the family was “alright” after the shooting and that they were itching to get back in the ring.

“We’re 100 per cent ready, he’s fit, it’s probably the best I’ve ever seen him,” Rocki said. “Strength-wise, his movement, everything’s just come together.

“I don’t think anything is going to take Justis’ focus off this fight, he’s 100 per cent committed, he’s ready, he’s itching to go.

“They didn’t choose us, we chose them, there’s a reason we chose them — his style fits our style. Justis’ speed, his footwork. I’ve never seen a heavyweight around the world that has this kid’s talent, his potential.

“I’m not taking anything away from Joe, I reckon it’ll be a good fight and I'm happy Joe has come to this fight at his best, that’s all we want.

“The reason we made this fight happen is because no one in Australia wanted this fight, we want to clean up our backyard before we move on. And we think Joe is the best fighter in Australia and that fits our purpose.”

And because of all those reasons, Rocki also predicted Huni would “get rid of Joe inside six”.

Heavyweight boxer, Joseph Goodall looks relaxed. Picture: Matthew Poon

While the fighters weren’t interested in engaging with predictions or accusations, the teams were happy to take the lead.

Early in the press conference, Huni’s promoter Dean Lonergan lobbed an accusation at Goodall’s camp.

He said Goodall left Australia to work with trainer Kevin Barry as “a mental and physical marshmallow” but had returned “chiselled like granite”.

Lonergan said he and Barry had been friends for the past 25 years and worked together when Barry trained Joseph Parker to a WBO world title. However he also claimed Barry would have equipped Goodall with “dirty tricks”.

“Kevin, in my opinion, is a master trainer who would have done a massive job on Joe,” Lonergan said. “What Kevin brings to the table those with a willingness to win and do anything to win.

“I’ve seen this happen before, Kevin’s trained guys for the past who I thought were mediocre fighters and turned them into absolute animals and guys will do what they had to do to win, whether it be elbowing, whether it be headbutting, whether it be low blows, whether it be hitting behind the head, Kevin is a master of all the dark arts of boxing.”

Huni poses with fans. Picture: Matthew Poon

But Barry brushed off the comments, adding that it was just all about the mind games heading into a big fight.

Barry said he warned Lonergan before Team Goodall arrived from Las Vegas that his charge is going to be Huni’s “biggest nightmare”.
“Firstly, let me just say thank you, Dean for your kind compliments before,” he said. “One thing that we do know, in situations like this, it’s very common for fighters and fighters teams to make comments to try to throw the other team off, for them to lose the focus, to divert their planning and the preparation for fight day.

“They are trying to get an emotional response from us. Let me tell you this. Our team is very, very focused, and that should be. We have prepared very, very hard for this fight and no comments from Dean Lonegan or anyone else, will divert us from our planning and our goal and that goal is June 15 for the Australian public and hopefully some people around the world to just see how much we’re quality by the Joe Goodall is.”