Bout time: Huni on world-title path
AUSSIE LOCKS IN $1M FIGHT WITH LATVIAN
JUSTIS Huni will continue his march towards a maiden world-title shot after clinching a $1 million blockbuster bout with Mairis Briedis – the Latvian “beast” who famously broke Jai Opetaia’s jaw in their Gold Coast bloodbath.
News Corp can reveal former IBF cruiserweight world champion Briedis has agreed terms to return Down Under, stepping up to heavyweight to face Huni in the biggest fight of the Australian young gun’s career.
The duo will square off at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena on
Saturday, March 4 in a showdown that could propel Huni into the top 10 world rankings and put him in the frame for a maiden world-title bout.
And the heavyweight battle features a fascinating contract clause.
Should Briedis win at Nissan Arena, the 37-year-old will secure a re-match with Huni’s stablemate Opetaia, who snatched the Latvian legend’s IBF belt in July to become Australia’s only current male world champion.
In one of the fights of the year, Briedis broke Opetaia’s jaw in two places, but the tough-as-nails Australian bravely hung on to clinch an epic unanimous points decision. Briedis (28-2, 20KO) is so desperate for revenge he will move up to heavyweight to take on Huni (6-0, 4KO), who is chasing a world ranking and can seal one by handing the Latvian back-toback defeats on Australian soil.
“Briedis is coming back to Australia – we have an agreement on the date and price,” Huni and Opetaia’s promoter Dean Lonergan said. “Mairis is a beast of a man and he is ready to step up to heavyweight to fight Justis. There is huge incentive for Mairis to take this fight. We have done a deal that if Briedis can beat Justis, he will earn a re-match against Jai.
“A world-title rematch between Briedis and Opetaia would be a cracker given what happened in their first fight, but he has to get past Justis first.”
Lonergan believes a Huni victory over Briedis would send the 23-year-old soaring up the world rankings.
Lonergan, the man who helped Jeff Horn become a world champion with his famous upset of Manny Pacquiao at Suncorp Stadium in 2017, hopes to have the Brisbane-born Huni fighting for a world title by the end of next year. “Briedis is a massive test for Justis,” he said. “I believe Justis will be too big, too strong and too fast, but Briedis will bring a significant world ranking and if Justis wins, he will surge up the rankings.”
Huni has returned home after a five-week camp in the US working with Pacquiao’s former conditioning coach Justin Fortune.
The 110kg sensation insists he is developing more punching power and says beating Briedis would be a major stepping stone in his bid to become heavyweight champion of the world.