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A drive-by shooting is the latest episode in a stalling boxing rise Justis Huni hopes will find some traction next week.
From COVID-19 to drive-by shootings, Justis Huni has encountered a raft of setbacks while attempting to push forward his heavyweight boxing ambitions.
The Australian heavyweight champion and his family were in shock on Thursday when five bullets sprayed their southern Brisbane home.
Rattled but uninjured, Huni still went to training later that morning ahead of his fight with Joe Goodall on Wednesday.
The undefeated Australian pair were initially due to fight in February before a second COVID-19 infection for Huni put the event on hold.
Huni was then scheduled to face New Zealand's Kiki Leutele on May 11, but that fight was scrapped when the card's headliner and world title contender Jai Opetaia suffered a rib injury.
It means he hasn't fought since June last year, when Huni aggravated a hand injury in a tough defeat of Paul Gallen that ruled him out of the Tokyo Olympics.
A 2022 calendar that initially had seven fights pencilled in is still empty, Huni's father Rocki admitting he fears someone is now conspiring against them.
"It could be someone out there that doesn't want to see Justis succeed, I'm really worried about that,' he said.
"But at the moment I'm just guessing (why their house was shot at).
"We've just got to keep moving forward. It's under a week before the fight.
"Justis was shattered, but wants to stay focused ... it's a big fight."
Huni and Goodall will train in a pop-up ring in Brisbane's King George Square on Friday, Huni doing his best to put the scary episode behind him.
"You get your house shot at you're going to be a little bit shocked, but after it happened we still went to training," he said.
"My focus is still on the fight next week and it's going to stay there.
"It's happened and I've got to keep moving.
"I'm feeling fit, I'm sharp at the moment and ready to taper down and get ready for next Wednesday ... (a world title) is still my dream."
