Unbeaten Australian heavyweight Justis Huni says he will be breaking the hearts of Fabio Wardley’s hometown fans when he fights him next month. Huni, 12-0(7) and a replacement for Jarrell Miller who was initially set to face Wardley in Ipswich on June 7, says he will be having his “coming out party” in the fight with Wardley, who is also undefeated.
Speaking with The Ring, 26 year old Huni said “it’s meant to be right now” and that he will hand Wardley his first loss.
Huni warns of heartbreak in Ipswich: “I’m about to cause a huge upset”
“I just feel like it’s meant to be right now,” Huni said. “I’m number one in the WBO (*note, Huni was ranked at #1 in the WBO heavyweight rankings, but Moses Itauma has just been elevated to the top spot), he’s number one in the WBA so I think our paths were going to cross at some point anyway so this feels like the perfect time. It was an easy decision for me. If I didn’t take this fight I would never know when another opportunity like this would come around. This is his homecoming fight but this is also my coming out party. It’s massive for both of us but I know deep down I’m about to cause a huge upset in his hometown.”
Wardley takes a real risk—Huni plans to make it count
Any fight is a risk, especially when both fighters are unbeaten, and credit goes out to both Wardley and Huni here for agreeing to this fight. When Miller unexpectedly pulled out, Wardley and his team could have played it safe by taking on a, well, a safe opponent. The show would have gone on, and Wardley’s army of fans would still have turned up to cheer for their hero. Instead, 30 year old Wardley is taking on a talented fighter who is massively up for the job.
A big crowd will be in hand to support Wardley, 18-0-1(17), but Huni has thus far come across as a fighter who believes in himself and will not be fazed upon fighting before a hostile crowd.
“I won’t let a crowd change the way I come out and do my job,” Huni said firmly.
