Australian heavyweight Justis Huni is preparing for the opportunity of a lifetime after being handed a shock call-up to fight for a world title.
In a twist straight out of a Rocky movie, the undefeated heavyweight will now face England’s Fabio Wardley for the interim WBA heavyweight title on June 7 at Portman Road, home of Ipswich Town FC.
Wardley had been scheduled to fight American Jarrell Miller, but a shoulder injury forced the controversial former contender to withdraw.
That opened the door for Huni, who received the late-night call just over a month before the fight.
‘This is a gift, and I just took it with both hands,’ Huni said after training. ‘I think I’ve got what it takes to box his ears off.’
The 26-year-old Queenslander was originally set to fight on Jai Opetaia’s undercard on June 8, but his manager Mick Francis moved quickly to seal the deal.
Australia’s Justis Huni has been handed a long-awaited world heavyweight title shot in the UK
Huni will take on hugely favoured opponent Fabio Wardley in front of his home crowd at Portman Road
American Jarrell Miller had to withdraw from the fight against Wardley because of a shoulder injury
‘We got wind of it a week ago, but everything ramped up in the last 48 hours,’ Francis said.
The deal was finalised around 1:30am Saturday morning, with frantic calls and video conferences between Australia and the UK.
‘It’s two undefeated guys, number one in the WBA and number one in the WBO – it just makes sense,’ Francis added.
Huni (12-0, 7 KOs) will fly to England for a press conference before returning to Australia to continue training.
He plans to head back to the UK in the lead-up to the bout, which will air on DAZN just hours before Opetaia defends his IBF cruiserweight crown on the Gold Coast.
‘I’m calling it Super Sunday,’ Francis said. ‘It’s massive for Aussie boxing and for Tasman Fighters.’
Huni admitted the decision wasn’t easy given the short preparation time, but he couldn’t turn down the chance.
‘If I said no, I’d regret it for the rest of my life,’ he said. ‘This could change everything.’
Huni, pictured with trainer Justin Fortune, has been frustrated by injury setbacks early in his career
A win over Wardley would make Huni just the second Australian heavyweight world champion after Lucas Browne.
It would also position him for a potential fight for the undisputed title, with Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois scheduled to clash in July.
The winner of Huni-Wardley is expected to face the victor of Kubrat Pulev vs Michael Hunter in a final eliminator.
Kiwi Joseph Parker is also in the mix for a future title shot.
‘This opens up so many doors,’ Huni said. ‘I could be fighting at Fortitude Valley for the rest of the year, or I can be on the world stage now.’
Wardley (18-0-1) comes into the fight off a first-round knockout win over Frazer Clarke, following a draw in their first meeting.
The 30-year-old has vacated his British title in pursuit of global glory and remains undefeated.
Huni, meanwhile, has spent the past year rebuilding momentum after injury setbacks and missed Olympic dreams.
Now Huni has a chance to become just the second Aussie heavyweight world champion after Lucas Browne
He made a thunderous return with three straight second-round knockouts, including a statement win over Troy Pilcher.
‘I don’t want to be known for going 10 rounds,’ Huni said at the time. ‘It was good to punish my opponent.’
Known for his slick movement and sharp combinations, Huni’s critics have questioned his power – something he’s been addressing with more aggressive tactics.
He has trained with ‘bad intentions,’ citing Mike Tyson as inspiration for his recent style shift.
Despite his youth, Huni has already claimed multiple titles, including the WBO Global and IBF Pan Pacific heavyweight belts.
The former rugby league player turned boxer first gained attention by winning the Australian heavyweight title on debut.
He had hoped to fight for a world title by 2026 – now, the chance has come far sooner.
