Huni hits out over Fenech power call
THE Justis Huni camp has fired back at Jeff Fenech, rubbishing the boxing legend’s claim that Australia’s heavyweight rising star lacks the punching power to put Joe Goodall to sleep in their title blockbuster on Wednesday night.
Goodall and Fenech have both questioned Huni’s ability as a knockout artist, with “Big Bad Joe” mocking his rival’s inability to put Paul Gallen away early in his lastround TKO of the NRL legend 12 months ago.
Boxing hall-of-fame legend Fenech is concerned Huni lacks the power to win a world title, but the 23-yearold vowed to silence his critics by outclassing Goodall at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena in Australia’s biggest heavyweight fight in 114 years.
Asked about Fenech’s assessment, Huni (5-0, 4KO) came out swinging and, in the process, he put Goodall (8-0-1, 7KO) on notice.
“I get all these power questions,” he said.
“You don’t need to have the most power to be the best.
“Whatever everyone says about power this, power that ... all it takes is one shot in this division.
“What will the critics say when I do land one shot?
“You don’t have to be the strongest to be the best. Look at Anthony Joshua versus (Oleksandr) Usyk ... you saw the outcome of that fight (Usyk outboxed Joshua last year to win a unanimous decision). My boxing ability will get me to where I need to go. I have a better skill set than Joe, better boxing ability and I have a better boxing IQ.
“That’s what I can’t wait to show everyone.”
Huni’s promoter, Dean Lonergan, lashed Fenech and backed Australia’s heavyweight “golden boy” to hand Goodall the first defeat of his professional career.
“Jeff should pull his head in,” Lonergan said.
“For Fenech to come out and criticise Justis is unAustralian. He should start being supportive of a young Aussie boxer of Justis’ talent rather than being negative.
“When Justis fought Gallen, he needed surgery and basically fought him with one hand and still won by TKO.
“This will be a dirty fight, but Justis will be too fast and too good.”
Huni and Goodall will fight for three belts: the WBO Oriental, IBF Pan Pacific and WBC Australasian heavyweight titles.
The winner will become a world-ranked fighter and Goodall believes his 12month stint in the US has given him the edge.
At Tuesday’s weigh in, he looked in better shape. His skin folds were lower, tipping the scales at 108.6kg to Huni’s 110.05kg. “It’s a do-or-die fight. There is more on the line for me than there is for him,” Goodall said.