IPSWICH played host to one of the most dramatic moments of the boxing calendar thus far, as Fabio Wardley delivered a shot-stopping shot to halt Justis Huni whilst behind on the cards. Now, the Aussie has admitted that he would ‘love a rematch’.
Following Jarrell Miller’s withdrawal from the contest, Huni, 12-1 (7 KOs), accepted a showdown with Wardley, 19-0-1 (18 KOs), on five weeks’ notice. The Queensland man travelled around the world and into Wardley’s backyard in search of an upset win.
For the most part, that risk seemed to be paying off, as Huni outboxed the Briton and landed a catalogue of eye-catching blows to steer well clear on the judges’ scorecards. He was seemingly coasting to a shock win on away soil.
However, in the 10th round, Wardley reminded fans from all over the globe why the heavyweight division is so adored, catching Huni clean on the temple to save his blushes at Portman Road.
A speedy and conclusive count followed, much to the discontent of Huni’s manager Mick Francis, crowning Wardley as the victor in sensational fashion and leaving him poised to take the next step towards world honours.
Yet, in a press release from Tasman Fighters, Huni called for a rematch that would allow him to face Wardley off the back of a full training camp and possibly spoil the plans this time.
“I’m absolutely gutted,” he stated.
“I felt like I was doing everything right, just boxing smart and sticking to the plan. I got caught — it happens in this sport. Congratulations to Fabio. He’s a warrior and he found the shot he needed. But this isn’t the end for me — not even close. I would absolutely love a rematch. I stepped up at short notice.”
Meanwhile, Francis added that he was ‘surprised’ by the count of referee John Latham.
“With total respect to the referee, we were surprised Justis wasn’t given the full ten-count.
“I feel like he should be given every right to try and continue. But the safety of the fighter comes first, and we respect the decision.”
Despite the brutal fashion in which Saturday night ended for the visitor, it seems unlikely that Wardley will agree to a second instalment of the battle, given his newfound position as WBA Interim heavyweight champion.
Instead, it appears as though the Suffolk-based knockout artist has his eyes fixed on Kubrat Pulev’s summer clash with Michael Hunter, aiming to take on the victor and claim the WBA (Regular) world title to tee up a shot for the full world title during 2026.
