In a surprising turn of events, Australian heavyweight Justis Huni experienced his first professional defeat, succumbing to a knockout from Fabio Wardley during the WBA interim heavyweight championship fight held in Ipswich, UK. Huni had performed dominantly for much of the contest, controlling the action in the twelve-round bout. However, a powerful right hand from Wardley in the 10th round changed the fight’s trajectory, leaving Huni momentarily stunned before he was unable to recover.
Although Huni had moments throughout the match where he appeared ready to finish Wardley, he could not land the decisive blow. Post-fight, Huni reflected on the setback, attributing the defeat to a brief lapse in concentration, a recurring challenge he had acknowledged prior to the bout. “It only takes one split second to switch off and it happened tonight,” Huni admitted, praising Wardley for his relentless effort and deserved victory.
Before facing this setback, Huni had won seven out of the nine rounds, and his defeat brings his record to 12 wins with one loss. On the other hand, Wardley celebrated his victory, extending his unbeaten record to 19 wins and one draw. After the match, Wardley described his approach, acknowledging the need to “dig deep” and adapt in order to secure the win against a skilled opponent like Huni, highlighting the latter’s distribution of boxing techniques throughout the fight.
Ultimately, this match has altered the trajectory for both fighters, with Huni now focusing on a comeback and Wardley continuing on an upward path in his boxing career.