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Doors are opening for Justis Huni, providing the Australian heavyweight passes his sternest test yet against Kevin Lerena on a blockbuster Saudi Arabian card.
Heavyweight Justis Huni is being considered for a key role in a boxing first, if the slick Australian passes his biggest test yet in Saudi Arabia.
The 24-year-old from Brisbane will fight hard-hitting South African Kevin Lerena on the Knockout Chaos card in Riyadh early on Saturday (AEDT), on a night headlined by Anthony Joshua v Francis Ngannou.
It will be the former amateur ace's ninth professional fight, with Huni unbeaten and having enjoyed four stoppage victories.
He's already ranked inside the top 15 by governing bodies the IBF, WBO and WBA and sits 25th on the overall heavyweight ratings.
A win over the vastly experienced Lerena (30-2) would likely propel him inside the top 10 of those bodies - and the top 15 of the ratings.
But more importantly it would enamour him to the sport's movers and shakers who will be ringside at Kingdom Arena.
Huni is being considered as an option for the novel '5v5' concept that will pit five of Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn's men against five promoted by his long-time rival Frank Warren, of Queensberry Promotions.
The long-awaited Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol undisputed light heavyweight championship fight will headline the card, set for June 1 in Riyadh.
That - and a string of other high-profile, lucrative Saudi fight nights - have been made possible by Middle Eastern powerbroker Turki Alalshikh, who has brought the bitter British promotion rivals together.
Hearn said they would select their teams after this weekend's event and then reveal the match-ups in London much closer to fight night.
Huni's Australian manager Mick Francis told AAP from Riyadh the Lerena fight would "set him up", with world-title challengers Daniel Dubois or Joe Joyce - rated fifth and eighth in the world - the targets on the table.
"Tyson Fury's been telling me that Kevin is a great boxer, is going to be tough, so I need to put on a show, perform on this stage," Huni told AAP.
"It'll set me up, a good show here and hopefully they're impressed by what they see from me.
"I'm a smart boxer; I'll just do me, won't get in front of him, just box his ears off."
A hand injury meant Huni was unable to fight for gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and he has faced multiple delays due to illness and other injuries to stall his progress since.
But Huni is quick to remind doubters how relatively young he is compared to the division's greats, with most contenders in their 30s and with 20-plus fights behind them.
"I've still got years in this game, 10 or 11 at least," he said.
"I'm 24 and I won't hit my peak until I'm 35, so I'm just fortunate to be in this position and I'll keep chipping away.
"It's been surreal to be here mixing it with these greats, just a mad experience."
