Justis secures Fortune
Huni enlists former Pacquiao trainer as he gears up for a huge 2022
JUSTIS Huni has started working with Manny Pacquiao’s former trainerJustin Fortune as he gears up for a massive 2022 campaign.
The Australian heavyweight champion has chosen to get tutelage from Fortune in order to improve his power as he realigns his style from the amateur ranks. Huni and his father Rockiflew to Los Angeles last week. Rocki has been Huni’s primary trainer but they are keen to use Fortune’s expertise on maximising power from all his punches, just as Pacquiao did to win world titles in eight different divisions.
Fortune and legendary trainer Freddie Roach worked hand-in-hand during Pacquiao’s phenomenal career, and Huni is also expected to spend time with Roach in coming weeks. Huni (5-0, 4KO) fights undefeated prospect Joe Goodall (7-0-1, 6KO) in Brisbane on February 4, and then plans to fight New Zealand’s Kiki Toa Leutele on March 23, as the co-feature on the planned IBF cruiserweight title fight between Australia’s Jai Opetaia and defending champion Mairis Briedis.
But the mooted May showdown between Huni and Junior Fa looks to have fallen over, with Huni’s promoter Dean Lonergan and Fa’s manager Mark Keddell arguing over fight dates and money.
Lonergan said Fa’s camp had made too many demands, including putting Leutele on the undercard, and it would cost $630,000 to stage the fight and pay everyone.
Keddell said Lonergan keeps changing the date of the fight and believes he wants to replace Fa with Lucas Browne for the May fight. Either way, Huni will be a busy man next year, with Lonergan holding firm on his plan to have the 22year-old fight seven times.
While that may seem excessive, Lonergan has studied the early careers of Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson and George Foreman, who had similarly busy schedules in their first two years as professionals.