By Nick Wright
A desire to remain active has cost boxer Justis Huni his Olympic dream.
But the world heavyweight prospect said he harboured no desire to thrust himself into the frame for gold in Paris, instead setting about securing a world title shot within the next two years.
Justis Huni lands a left hand on Paul Gallen during his win over the former league star.Credit: Getty
Huni will have his first fight on home soil since November 2022 when the undefeated Brisbane pugilist takes on Troy Pilcher at the Fortitude Music Hall on July 25.
The Brisbane prospect, the first man in more than a century to claim the Australian heavyweight title on his professional debut, was set to be the nation’s leading boxing hope at the Tokyo Olympics, before he injured his hand in his win over former NRL player Paul Gallen.
It continued a sorry run of injuries for the rising star, and ended a dream he had held since childhood.
But Huni said while he could have delayed his progress to push for the forthcoming Games, he had focused on joining Australian world champions Liam Paro and Jai Opetaia among boxing’s elite.
“Everything happens for a reason. Being forced to withdraw from the Olympics, that was the biggest mental battle for me,” Huni said.
“Once I was able to overcome that, I felt like nothing after that has affected me. Now, for me, it is what it is – I’m on to my next goal that I’ve set for myself, I’m on to my next dream and that’s all I think about now.
“I don’t look back at what could’ve been at the Olympics. What’s done is done and all I can do is look forward. I’m still pretty happy with where I’m at … I’m sure the opportunity will come in the next two or three years when I can fight for a title.”
Huni’s last outing, a unanimous-decision victory over Kevin Lerena, on the undercard of American sensation Anthony Joshua’s win over former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia, ultimately proved the Logan fighter’s most daunting.
Experiencing that level of attention and scrutiny, while at last vanquishing his chequered injury history, has Huni adamant his rise is about to accelerate.
“My last fight was the biggest I’ve ever had, fighting on a card that big. You know people are going to be watching all over the world ... and at least I’m prepared, and I know that feeling,” Huni said.
“I take each fight as it comes. I don’t want to look too far ahead because anything can happen … I just want to stay busy and work my way up into that spot where I’m fighting guys in the top 10.
“In the future, I’ll be sitting up there waiting for my world-title shot.”