Fabio Wardley delivered a stunning reminder of boxing’s unpredictable drama on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Ipswich Town F.C.’s Portman Road stadium. In front of a raucous home crowd of 20,000, Wardley pulled off a sensational 10th-round knockout against Australia’s Justis Huni to claim the WBA interim heavyweight title in a fight that had fans on the edge of their seats.
Wardley, who entered the ring with an unbeaten record of 19-0-1 and 18 knockouts, was far from the favorite entering this bout. Huni, boasting a professional record of 12-1 with 7 KOs, had stepped in on short notice after Jarrell Miller withdrew due to a shoulder injury just five weeks prior. The Australian had been riding a wave of momentum, holding the WBO Global and IBF Pan Pacific belts and making his UK debut on this very night. His slick footwork and combination punching made him a formidable opponent.
The fight began with both men cautiously sizing each other up. Huni landed the first blows, including a sharp left hook and a right hand to the body, while Wardley sought to time his powerful right hand. The second round saw Huni come out swinging, using his quick hands and movement to dictate the pace. Wardley matched the energy but was largely on the back foot as Huni’s superior boxing skills shone through.
By rounds three and four, Huni was firmly in control, landing devastating combinations and pushing Wardley onto the ropes. The crowd’s energy dipped as it became clear their hometown hero was taking significant punishment. Huni’s dominance continued through the middle rounds, with Wardley absorbing heavy shots to the chin and body. CompuBox stats later revealed that Huni threw and landed nearly twice as many power punches as Wardley, underscoring the Australian’s command of the fight.
Despite the punishment, Wardley’s resilience kept him standing. The seventh round saw him visibly exhausted and trapped on the ropes, yet he refused to yield. The fight appeared to be slipping away from him as Huni looked poised for a career-defining victory. But boxing is never over until the final bell—or in this case, the final punch.
At 1:31 of the 10th round, the tide turned dramatically. Huni, perhaps complacent after dominating the previous rounds, drew too close and engaged Wardley in a risky exchange. Seizing the moment, Wardley expertly slipped a right hand from Huni and unleashed a devastating overhand right that landed flush on Huni’s jaw. The Australian crashed to the canvas and failed to beat the 10 count, handing Wardley a knockout victory that stunned the crowd and the boxing world alike.
After the fight, Wardley humbly reflected on the rollercoaster bout. "I don't profess to be any kind of [Oleksandr] Usyk, Justis Huni—someone with all the skills. But one thing I do know how to do is win fights," he said. "Dig deep, find a bit of heart, bite down on that gum shield and find a way to win—and that's one thing I had to do tonight." He acknowledged his struggles during the fight but praised Huni’s skill, adding, "He pulled out all sorts of different tricks. I really didn't expect to bank rounds like that with Justis. I had him hurt in the first round as well, so maybe that gave me a bit too much confidence going into the following rounds. But we rejigged, got my head screwed back on and stuck to the game plan."
Huni, gracious in defeat, praised Wardley and the opportunity to fight on such a grand stage. "That's my curse. I even said before this fight it only takes one second to switch off, it happened tonight," he remarked. "I'm grateful to Fabio and his team and to Ipswich to be able to perform in front of you. Get behind him, he's going to do great things. He's just an awesome fighter. He never gave up and he got the win, he deserves it."
Promoter Frank Warren compared Wardley’s knockout to a classic Deontay Wilder moment, saying, "Eat your heart out Deontay Wilder, that was a Deontay Wilder moment. He's got a big heart, he's a powerful man and again, he stopped another one. I've got to take my hat off to Justis Huni, they both boxed very well. Ipswich, you did him proud and he did Ipswich proud too. This is such a fabulous place to put a fight on." Former world champion Carl Frampton also commented, "I didn't see it coming. Fair play to Fabio for pulling that out the bag. It adds to the mystique around him and his story. Coming from zero amateur background, white collar, to finish like that. He got completely outboxed but he still had the dynamite to finish it off. I thought it was so easy for Huni, I thought Wardley was feeling sorry for himself. But when you carry that power you have a chance. It was getting easier and easier and he's made a mistake and walked into one."
This victory places Wardley in prime position to challenge for the full WBA heavyweight title. He will be ordered to face the winner of the upcoming WBA (regular) title bout between Kubrat Pulev and Michael Hunter, scheduled for August 23, 2025, in the United States. Wardley’s knockout power and gritty determination make him a dangerous contender in the heavyweight division’s evolving landscape.
Aside from the main event, the card featured several notable bouts. Pierce O'Leary defeated Liam Dillon via unanimous decision in the super lightweight division, Lewis Richardson claimed a points victory over Dmitri Protkunas at middleweight, and Mike Perez stopped Steven Ward in the ninth round of their cruiserweight clash. Other winners included Jack Williams, Nelson Hysa, Billy Adams, Umar Khan, and Lillie Winch, while the middleweight bout between Sam Gilley and Gideon Onyenani ended in a draw.
Wardley’s personal life added an emotional layer to the night. His partner was due to give birth in the week following the fight, a fact Wardley acknowledged had not distracted him. "Nope. Everything has been perfect! It's been a bit hectic but to be fair it's a credit to her, really. She's been chilled all the way through. She's quite good at just letting me crack on with what I've needed to do," he said. "You just have to stick the blinders on and focus on one thing at a time. Until the little one actually turns up, the focus is the job at hand on Saturday. Once that's done then we can forget about boxing for a minute or two." Wardley added, "June 2025 is going to be a wild month I talk a lot about, for the rest of my life. I will be an old man in a rocking chair, telling people about it and wondering how we pulled it off. Everything has come together at the same time, it might seem a bit hectic but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I thrive on it, I love the chaos."
In a night where skill, heart, and power collided, Fabio Wardley’s dramatic knockout at Portman Road will be remembered as a defining moment in his career. As he steps toward a potential world title shot, the boxing world watches with bated breath to see what the Ipswich powerhouse will do next.
