Heavyweight Justis ‘JPH’ Huni 10-0 (5) showed off his power in a two-round demolition of previously undefeated Troy ‘The Titan’ Pilcher 9-1-1 (7) at the Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, Australia on Thursday night.
Boxing in front of a packed house in his first fight back at home in almost two years, Huni made good on his pre-fight promise to sit down on his punches more and show that he can back with the best of them in his weight class.
New Zealand’s Pilcher, 29, looked to make a statement in the opening round as he let his hands go and pushed Huni back to the ropes. But the 25-year-old Huni, who is currently ranked number nine in the world by the WBO, calmly weathered the storm and recalculated his attack for the second round.
In an unusual move for a big man, Huni attacked the body with venom. His two-fisted attack left Pilcher gasping for air and opened up opportunities to attack the head, which Huni readily took.
Late in the second, Huni landed a full-blooded left hook to the jaw that sent Pilcher backwards towards the ropes. Sensing his opponent was hurt, Huni went in for the kill. A barrage of savage blows slumped Pilcher to the canvas in the blue corner with his team throwing in the towel just as referee Paul Tapley was about to wave off the contest.
The official time of the stoppage was 2:26.
“Troy was a game opponent, but I was ready for whatever he brought,” said Huni. “I knew I had to stay focused and capitalise on any openings and that’s exactly what I did.”
Looking ahead, Huni expressed his openness to future challenges, particularly mentioning British hopeful Johnny ‘The Romford Bull’ Fisher 12-0 (11).
“I’m definitely open to facing Johnny Fisher,” said Huni. “I’ll even travel to England if necessary. I want to test myself against the best, no matter where they are.”
Michael Francis, Huni’s co-promoter, commended Huni’s performance and potential.
“Justis Huni is an incredible talent and simply one of the best young heavyweights of this generation,” Francis said.
“His dedication and skill in the ring are unmatched. It was a sensational performance.”
Francis also extended his gratitude to those who made the event possible.
“We want to thank our co-promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom, as well as Spencer Brown of Goldstar Promotions and Riyadh Season for their assistance in getting this bout made,” he said.
“Their support has been invaluable. With the help of Turki Alalshikh, Spencer and Eddie we are determined to bring these world class events to Australia where there’s an appetite for boxing.
“None of this would be possible without them and we can’t wait to see what the future brings.”
Highlighting the broader impact of their efforts, Francis added: “Tasman Fighters are putting Australian boxers on the world stage on DAZN, boxing’s premier platform.
“We’re committed to showcasing the incredible talent we have here and giving our fighters the opportunities they deserve.”
