Justis Huni has successfully defended his WBO global heavyweight title with a knockout victory over Troy Pilcher in the second round.
Huni’s mantra before Thursday night’s fight was “more aggressive, more entertaining” and he delivered on his promise with the bout at Fortitude Valley Music Hall lasting just two minutes and 20 seconds into round two.
The 25-year-old remains undefeated in 10 fights as he targets a shot at a world title by 2026.
The Brisbane-based Huni said before the fight that he had no intention to go the full 10 rounds.
Pilcher, who was previously undefeated in 10 fights, came out fast and furious but Huni was too quick and too powerful, landing body shots with his left and right.
The boxer known as “the wonder from down under” was in wondrous form
Huni opened with a powerhouse combination of lefts and rights to the body with one left hook rocking his opponent.
The second round was all one-way traffic and Pilcher was on the ropes physically and metaphorically when the referee stopped the fight.
Pilcher had no answer to the ferocity of the Huni approach.
“I knew he was going to come out strong and try and smother me,” Huni told AAP.
“I just had to pick my moments and I knew the body shots would wear him down and then my time came.
“I was way more comfortable with a more aggressive style. I don’t want to remembered for going 10 rounds. It was good to get in there and punish my opponent.
“I feel good. There are no injuries and I feel fresh.”
Huni had said he had “bad intentions” for Pilcher after studying the methodology of Mike Tyson in the lead up to the showdown.
It was Huni’s first fight on home soil in almost two years since he accounted for New Zealander Kiki Leutele in a unanimous points decision.
Huni said he now had bigger fish to fry as he targets his dream of a world title.
‘”These belts don’t mean that much to me. It is the big belts that I want,” he said.
“These are just stepping stones to where I want to go. I have a good team behind me and they are pushing me to go all the way.”
The undercard included the Australian light heavyweight title bout between Clay ‘The Weapon’ Waterman from Queensland and Victoria’s Lucas ‘Thriller’ Miller, the defending champion.
Waterman, the new Australian champion, prevailed in a 10-round classic with a unanimous points decision 97-91, 97-91, 97-91.
The 28-year-old Waterman knocked Miller, 35, down in the second and sixth round but the southpaw refused to relent.
Waterman (13-1-0) deserved his victory and was on the front foot for most of the fight.
Source Agencies
