{"id":279794,"date":"2025-11-13T06:11:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T06:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/279794\/"},"modified":"2025-11-13T06:11:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T06:11:10","slug":"justis-huni-leads-tributes-for-trainer-keri-fui-after-fatal-collapse-in-gym-ahead-of-boxing-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/279794\/","title":{"rendered":"Justis Huni leads tributes for trainer Keri Fui after fatal collapse in gym ahead of boxing return"},"content":{"rendered":"

Justis Huni has led the tributes of long-time ally Keri Fui, who died from a heart attack while training the heavyweight boxer.<\/p>\n

Fui was recently promoted to 26-year-old Huni’s head trainer ahead of a December 6 rematch with Kiki Leutele on the Gold Coast.<\/p>\n

He collapsed in the gym during a training session last week and received medical assistance from Huni and his strength and conditioning trainer before he was placed in a coma that he never recovered from.<\/p>\n

Loading Instagram content<\/p>\n

“I can’t find the words to describe how much this hurts and it doesn’t feel real,” Huni posted on social media.<\/p>\n

“I love you, Kez, and everything I do from here will always be for you. Until we meet again, big buddy.”<\/p>\n

Fui ‘not just a coach, he was family’<\/p>\n

Fui has long been a part of Huni and Tasman Fighters stablemate and world champion Jai Opetaia’s operations.<\/p>\n

“He wasn’t just a coach, he was family,” Tasman Fighters logistics chief Fran Bradford said.<\/p>\n

“Keri had a way of bringing everyone together, lifting spirits and making every moment brighter.<\/p>\n

“He was the first to show up when we needed help, always ready to drop everything for those he cared about.<\/p>\n

“His advice was wise, his energy contagious and his love for boxing, his family and for the people around him was unmatched.<\/p>\n

“Keri travelled the world with us, sharing in our journeys, our highs and our lows.<\/p>\n

“He truly had our backs through thick and thin. We’ll miss his laughter, his guidance and his big energy every single day.”<\/p>\n

Opetaia will headline the December 6 card in his IBF and The Ring cruiserweight title defence against Huseyin Cinkara.<\/p>\n

Stream End Game with Tony Armstrong on ABC iview<\/a><\/p>\n

Tony Armstrong tackles Australia’s overdue reckoning with racism in sport with the help of some of its biggest sports stars.<\/p>\n

Huni is coming off his first professional loss, the Australia taking a fight in England with Fabio Wardley on short notice despite carrying an elbow injury that meant he couldn’t spar in the lead-up.<\/p>\n

The underdog still dominated the fight and was leading on all three cards through 10 rounds before Wardley’s one-punch knockout.<\/p>\n

Wardley has since beaten Joseph Parker and is in line for a shot at undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.<\/p>\n

Huni split with trainer Mark Wilson after the loss.<\/p>\n

“After my fight with Fabio, my stocks went up,” Huni said last week.<\/p>\n

“So after seeing that fight and unfortunately Parker getting stopped, they went up again.”<\/p>\n

AAP<\/p>\n

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