Justice Huni proved too good for ex-rugby star Paul Gallen as the Australian heavyweight champion scored a brutal win in Sydney, Australia.
Eric Armit reports.
Sydney, Australia: Heavyweight – Justice Huni (5-0) W TKO 10 Paul Gallen (11-1-1).Middle: Isaac Hardman (11-0) TKO 4 Emmanuel Carlos (12-2).Middle: Andrei Mikhailovich (16-0) W TKO 2 Alex Hanan (13-1). Feather: Sam Goodman (9-0) W TKO 6 Nort Beauchamp (18-5). Cruiser: Jason Whateley (9-0) W TKO 4 Victor Oganov (32-9).
Justice Huni vs. Paul Gallen – Heavyweight
Huni retains the Australian heavyweight title with the last round stoppage of outclassed but brave Gallen. Huni was 6” taller, 15lbs heavier, and 17 years younger than Gallen. Together with Huni’s superior speed and mobility, all of those factors left Gallen with little chance of winning.
Heavyweight Huni rocked Gallen with a right in the first and came close to a stoppage in the third. He then used his longer reach to score with hard body shots, with Gallen rolling forward except for a close fifth with little success. The body punches tired Gallen, and by the ninth, he had little left and only just survived the round.
Gallen pulled Huni down to the canvas in the tenth, but a huge left from Huni floored Gallen when the action resumed. He climbed to his feet, but the referee stopped the fight.
All three judges had Huni in front 89-82 at the finish. The 22-year-old Huni from Brisbane was making the third defense of the national title, and he will now compete at the Tokyo Olympics. Gallen, 39, a former Rugby player, showed tremendous heart but was out of his league in every sense here.
Hardman vs. Carlos
Hardman retains the Australian title with the stoppage of Carlos. “Headsplitter” Hardman was scoring well in the firsts with rights. Carlos was cut high on his forehead in a clash of heads in the second, and they trade punches fiercely, with Hardman getting the better of the exchanges.
Hardman dominated the third and then put Carlos down with a right in the fourth.
Carlos made it to his feet but was in a bad way, and as Hardman attacked, the referee came in and stopped the fight. Ninth inside the distance win for the 25-year-old Queenslander. Carlos had won his last five fights.
Mikhailovich vs. Hanan
In a clash of unbeaten fighters, Mikhailovich stops Hanan in two rounds. Mikhailovich showed his power by shaking Hanan with a left hook in the first and then ended things in the second.
A beauty of a left hook put Hanan on the floor. He beat the count but was floored by another left hook, and although he made it to his feet, they stopped the fight.
The 23-year-old Russian-born “Renegade” has nine wins by the quick route and was too good for Hanan, who had never been tested previous to this fight.
Goodman vs. Beauchamp
Former amateur star Goodman outboxes and then stops Beauchamp. Goodman scored at a distance with his jab and then landed heavy counters to the body as Beauchamp came forward.
Beauchamp managed to get inside and was more competitive in the third. But Goodman handed out steady punishment in the fourth and fifth, with both the referee and doctor warning Beauchamp that unless he showed more, they could stop the fight.
When Goodman connected with some heavy punches in the sixth, the referee stepped in to save Beauchamp. Fifth win by KO/TKO for the 22-year-old Goodman, who collects the vacant Australasian title.
He was Australian Youth champion and won a bronze medal at the World Youth Championships. Thai-born New Zealander Beauchamp suffers his third loss in a row.
Whateley vs. Oganov
A farcical mismatch sees Whatley beat Oganov in four rounds. Whatley, at 6’5”, was 9” taller than Oganov and was also 14 years younger. Oganov had nothing to offer.
He had occasional success with lunging attacks in the third, but he was cut and soaking up punishment in the fourth, and his team threw in the towel.
Now 30, Whatley dominated the 91kg division in Australia, winning the national title in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.
He won a silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and competed at the World Championships and the 2016 Olympics.
Russian-born 44-year-old Oganov was carrying 29lbs more than the 168lbs he weighed when he turned pro in 1998.
