12-16-2021, 10:39 AM
Junior Fa v Justis Huni trans-Tasman super fight hits roadblock
Duncan Johnstone
Junior Fa, right, wants to get back into action, having not fought since a competitive bout with Joseph Park last February.
A frustrated Junior Fa is set to abandon a proposed Trans-Tasman super fight against rising Australian champion Justis Huni as talks hit an impasse.
The fight has been on the negotiating table since April and there were genuine hopes it could happen late this year or early next year, with Australian-based Kiwi promoter Dean Lonergan keen to stage the fight.
But a series of postponements are now forcing Fa, whose last fight was a points loss to Joseph Parker in Auckland in February, to look elsewhere.
Fa now seems likely to head to the United States where his US promoter Lou DiBella has a show planned for February in New York. Fa’s unbeaten stablemate and fellow Kiwi heavyweight Hemi Ahio could also feature on that card
Fa’s manager Mark Keddell appears to have had enough of the constant date changes put in front of him by Lonergan for the Huni fight to happen.
Keddell said the range of dates had gone from December to February, to April-May, and the latest had been touted for July or August.
“That would mean Junior had been out of the ring for a year and a half and that’s not workable,” Keddell told Stuff as his focus now went elsewhere.
“Dean Lonergan has walked away from this fight because we won’t agree to his fourth date change. It’s now eight months of date changing.”
DiBella had seen May as the last viable option.
At 32, Fa needs to get back into action as soon as possible. It’s a crucial junction for him - the loss to Parker was the first defeat of his professional career which now stands at 19-1.
Keddell said they had been happy to accommodate Huni’s request to get a warm-up fight in, given he was battling back from a broken hand that cost him his Olympic dream at the Tokyo Games and had stalled his pro career. Huni’s last fight was a knockout victory against former league star Paul Gallen in mid-June.
Huni is now scheduled to take on undefeated Australian heavyweight Paul Goodall in Brisbane on February 4.
During the early negotiating period Keddell had sought to get a $20,000 training camp fee set into the fight contract, fearing the talks could drag on, leaving Fa stranded and out of pocket.
Duncan Johnstone
Junior Fa, right, wants to get back into action, having not fought since a competitive bout with Joseph Park last February.
A frustrated Junior Fa is set to abandon a proposed Trans-Tasman super fight against rising Australian champion Justis Huni as talks hit an impasse.
The fight has been on the negotiating table since April and there were genuine hopes it could happen late this year or early next year, with Australian-based Kiwi promoter Dean Lonergan keen to stage the fight.
But a series of postponements are now forcing Fa, whose last fight was a points loss to Joseph Parker in Auckland in February, to look elsewhere.
Fa now seems likely to head to the United States where his US promoter Lou DiBella has a show planned for February in New York. Fa’s unbeaten stablemate and fellow Kiwi heavyweight Hemi Ahio could also feature on that card
Fa’s manager Mark Keddell appears to have had enough of the constant date changes put in front of him by Lonergan for the Huni fight to happen.
Keddell said the range of dates had gone from December to February, to April-May, and the latest had been touted for July or August.
“That would mean Junior had been out of the ring for a year and a half and that’s not workable,” Keddell told Stuff as his focus now went elsewhere.
“Dean Lonergan has walked away from this fight because we won’t agree to his fourth date change. It’s now eight months of date changing.”
DiBella had seen May as the last viable option.
At 32, Fa needs to get back into action as soon as possible. It’s a crucial junction for him - the loss to Parker was the first defeat of his professional career which now stands at 19-1.
Keddell said they had been happy to accommodate Huni’s request to get a warm-up fight in, given he was battling back from a broken hand that cost him his Olympic dream at the Tokyo Games and had stalled his pro career. Huni’s last fight was a knockout victory against former league star Paul Gallen in mid-June.
Huni is now scheduled to take on undefeated Australian heavyweight Paul Goodall in Brisbane on February 4.
During the early negotiating period Keddell had sought to get a $20,000 training camp fee set into the fight contract, fearing the talks could drag on, leaving Fa stranded and out of pocket.