- Justis Huni has maintained its unbeaten record
- Australian heavyweight defeated rival in two rounds
- He is on his way to fight for the heavyweight world title
Justis Huni successfully defended his WBO world heavyweight title with a second-round knockout victory over Troy Pilcher.
Huni’s mantra for Thursday night’s bout was ‘more aggressive, more entertaining’ and he delivered on his promise with a fight at Fortitude Valley Music Hall that lasted just two minutes and 20 seconds in the second round.
The 25-year-old is still undefeated in 10 fights and is aiming for a world title in 2026.
Brisbane-based Huni said before the bout that he did not intend to fight the full 10 rounds.
Pilcher, who was undefeated in 10 fights, started fast and furious, but Huni was too fast and too powerful, hitting the body with both his left and right hands.
The boxer known as ‘the miracle of Down Under’ was in miraculous form
Huni opened with a powerful combination of left and right body punches, rocking his opponent with a single left hook.
In the second round it was one-way traffic and Pilcher was physically and figuratively hanging on the ropes when the referee stopped the fight.
Justis Huni extended his undefeated record after defeating Troy Pilcher on Thursday
The Australian heavyweight defeated his undefeated rival in Brisbane
Pilcher had no answer to the brutality of the Huni approach.
“I knew he would be strong and try to smother me,” Huni told AAP.
‘I just had to pick my moments and I knew the body shots would wear him down, but then my time had come.
“I felt much more comfortable with a more aggressive style. I don’t want to be remembered for going 10 rounds. It was good to get there and punish my opponent.
‘I feel good. There are no injuries and I feel fresh.’
Huni had said he had “bad intentions” towards Pilcher after studying Mike Tyson’s methodology in the run-up to the clash.
It was Huni’s first fight on home soil in almost two years, since beating New Zealand’s Kiki Leutele in a unanimous points decision.
Huni said he has more important things on his mind now that he is realizing his dream of a world title.
“These belts don’t mean much to me. It’s the big belts I want,” he said.
He remains on track for a heavyweight title fight in two years
“These are just stepping stones to where I want to go. I have a good team behind me and they push me to go all the way.”
The undercard included the Australian light heavyweight title fight between Queensland’s Clay ‘The Weapon’ Waterman and Victoria’s Lucas ‘Thriller’ Miller, the reigning champion.
Waterman, the new Australian champion, won a classic 10-round fight by unanimous points decision: 97-91, 97-91, 97-91.
The 28-year-old Waterman knocked down the 35-year-old Miller in the second and sixth rounds, but the southpaw boxer didn’t give up.
Waterman (13-1-0) deserved his victory and was the dominant side for most of the match.