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Justis Huni's crushing Tokyo Olympics blow after Paul Gallen bout

Riley Morgan
·Sports Reporter
·2-min read
Justis Huni (pictured right) hugging Paul Gallen (pictured left) after his TKO win.
Justis Huni (pictured right) could miss the Olympics after further injuring his hand in the bout against Paul Gallen (pictured left). (Getty Images)

Australian heavyweight champion Justis Huni is set to miss the Tokyo Olympic Games after further injuring his left hand in the victory over former NRL player Paul Gallen.

Huni, who was nursing an injured hand in the last few months, appeared to aggravate the injury during his comfortable TKO victory over Gallen and has been told he needs surgery on the tendon.

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Huni’s trainer-father Rocki on Wednesday told AAP that reports of his son being ruled out of the Tokyo Games were “not entirely true”, but conceded the outlook was grim for the 22-year-old.

“Boxing Australia is getting a second opinion on the injury,” Rocki Huni said.

Huni, undefeated in his five professional fights and rated a genuine gold-medal hope for Australia, suffered the injury before his victory over Christian Tsoye last month in Sydney.

Huni injures left hand against Gallen

Rocki Huni said his son then aggravated it during his win over Paul Gallen last week.

“He damaged both hands but the left hand was fine. We got away with it just with a needle,” Rocki Huni said.

“His left hand didn’t fare so well.

“I was told by the surgeon that he needs surgery in the tendon.

“He’d be absolutely shattered to miss the Olympics. It’s just not good.”

Justis Huni knocks Paul Gallen to the canvas during their Australian heavyweight title fight at ICC Sydney on June 16, 2021 in Sydney, Australia.
Justis Huni knocks Paul Gallen to the canvas during their Australian heavyweight title fight at ICC Sydney on June 16, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) (Cameron Spencer via Getty Images)

Last week, Huni ended Gallen's undefeated professional boxing record to retain his Australian heavyweight title in spectacular fashion.

Huni sent the rugby league great turned pugilist crashing to the canvas with a thunderous right hook in the final round of an epic encounter on Wednesday night that lived up to its blockbuster billing.

But it was in that final round that Gallen was doing everything possible to stay standing against a brutal Huni onslaught.

with AAP

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