Justis Huni makes quick work of Shaun Potgieter

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA – The heavyweight Justis Huni eased to his second victory in under a month when he stopped South Africa’s Shaun Potgieter in two rounds at the Gold Coast Convention Centre.

Huni, 25 years old and Australia’s leading heavyweight, defeated Leandro Daniel Robutti in nearby Brisbane on December 11, and after returning to the gym the very next day almost effortlessly earned his first win of 2025.

He regularly hurt Potgieter from almost the opening bell, when succeeding with combinations to both body and head. Huni possesses speed and a cultured edge, and though there were moments his aggression left him open to his opponent’s left hand, he continued to hurt him until a brief halt in the action followed when Huni landed a low blow.

Potgieter had arrived in Australia having won 10 and lost only one of his 11 fights, but he had never previously fought outside of South Africa, and when trading towards the end of the first round in an attempt to survive looked both tired and crude. 

If it had been tempting for the referee Phil Austin to intervene to rescue him it would also have been tempting for his corner to act similarly, but the stoppage instead came 33 seconds into the second round, when a right uppercut stunned Potgieter and forced him to retreat to his corner, whereupon further punches to both body and head forced Austin to rescue him. 

“I leave it up to my team,” Huni responded, post-fight, when asked about his next move. “They’ve done a good job with me so far. I believe I’m going to go all the way.”

His co-promoters Matchroom also promote Johnny Fisher, who has been spoken of as a potential future opponent and who was ringside, and Eddie Hearn said: “It’s just what [Huni] needed to get that spite back. Three fights in three or four months. This guy’s nearly there. 

“You’ve got another potential world heavyweight champion in Justis Huni. The speed’s back. The confidence is back. You’ll see him back in a few months – massive 2025 for Justis Huni.

“Keep moving up the governing bodies. Moses Itauma – that could land for the interim title. He’s going to keep improving and keep getting better and better. We want to deliver a shot for the world heavyweight title right here in Australia.”

“This year’s going to be Justis’ year,” said Mick Francis of Tasman Fighters, who also promote Huni. “Justis is 25 years old. There’s plenty of time.”

Huni-Potgieter represented the chief support to the IBF cruiserweight title fight between the champion Jai Opetaia and David Nyika. 

The promising super middleweight Max McIntyre, also of Australia, had by then stopped Turkey’s Abdulselam Saman in the fourth of 10 rounds. There was also a victory for Ben Mahoney, another Australian, at light middleweight, over China’s Fan Zhang, via three scores of 100-90.