Justis Huni, the rising Australian heavyweight star, scored a hard-fought victory over Kevin Lerena, the former cruiserweight champion from South Africa, in a 10-round bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday morning (AEDT). Huni won by unanimous decision, with the judges scoring the fight 96-94, 96-94 and 98-92 in his favour.
Huni, who improved his record to 9-0 (4 KOs), showed his skills and composure against a tough and experienced opponent, who had dedicated the fight to his mother, who passed away earlier in the week. Huni controlled most of the rounds with his jab, movement and combinations, but had to survive a late onslaught from Lerena in the final round, when he was rocked by a left hook and nearly knocked out.
“I’ve done all the hard work in the gym and I’m glad my legs were strong enough to stick it out,” Huni said after the fight. “I was expecting him to be tough when I came out here, but it was just a matter of time until I adjusted to him.”
Lerena shows heart and courage in defeat
Lerena, who dropped to 30-3 (14 KOs), displayed his heart and courage in the ring, despite the tragic loss of his mother. He came out aggressively in the first round, landing some solid left hands that shook Huni. He continued to press the action in the next few rounds, but Huni started to find his rhythm and distance, and began to outbox Lerena with his superior speed and accuracy.
Lerena, who had moved up from cruiserweight to heavyweight for this fight, was not deterred by Huni’s punches, and kept coming forward, looking for an opening. He had some success with his lead hand, and managed to bloody Huni’s nose in the sixth round. However, Huni was more consistent and effective with his output, and landed some eye-catching shots, including a left-right-left hook combination in the ninth round that snapped Lerena’s head back.
In the 10th and final round, Lerena, who had been urged by his corner to “do it for your mother”, unleashed a furious attack on Huni, and caught him with a devastating left hook that sent him staggering across the ring. Lerena followed up with a barrage of punches, trying to finish the job, but Huni somehow managed to stay on his feet and clinch until the bell rang.
“He’s a good competitor,” Lerena said of Huni. “There’s no such thing as good timing when someone dies, emotionally it’s tough, but back to the drawing board, when I had him hurt, I should have finished him but kudos to him, he stayed up like a tough lion. He boxed better tonight, I probably had him hurt more but tough competitor.”
Huni has big plans for the future
Huni, who is only 24 years old, has been touted as one of the best prospects in the heavyweight division, and has ambitious plans for the future. He was supposed to represent Australia at the Tokyo Olympics last year, but had to withdraw due to a hand injury that required surgery. He has since recovered, and is eager to resume his professional career and climb the rankings.
Huni’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has high hopes for the young Australian, and believes he has the potential to challenge for the world title one day. Hearn was not overly concerned by Huni’s close call in the last round, and praised his performance against a tough opponent.
“He’s progressing well beyond his years and he wants to move quick,” Hearn said. “I think sometimes a lot of the strengths and attributes he has is negated against a smaller guy like Lerena, so I’d like to see him in with a big heavyweight where he can use his speed and his movement a little bit more effectively.”
Huni’s next fight is not yet confirmed, but he has expressed his interest in facing some of the top names in the division, such as Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder, Dillian Whyte and Joseph Parker. He is confident that he can compete with the best, and prove himself as a legitimate contender.
“I’m ready for anyone, I’m not scared of anyone,” Huni said. “I’m here to make a statement, and I’m here to take over the heavyweight division.”
