Behind on Scorecards, Fabio Wardley Wins WBA Heavyweight Title With A One-Punch Knockout of Justis Huni in the Tenth

By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

Ipswich, UK (June 8th, 2025)– Justis Huni (a late substitute main event opponent replacing Jarrell Miller who pulled out of his bout with Fabio Wardley with an injured shoulder) fought a surprisingly and shockingly brilliant bout and beat up Wardley for all of nine and a half rounds of a scheduled 12-rounder in his own backyard in Ipswich.

Then, in a bout ending punch exchange clash similar to Sergio Gabriel Martinez versus Paul Williams II at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City in November 2010, Wardley and Huni exchanged simultaneous straight right hands. Wardley’s got inside the wide punching Huni first, scoring a knockout for the pull 10 count at 1:42 of the tenth round on June 7, 2025, at Portland Road Football Ground, Ipswich, United Kingdom, to win the vacant interim World Boxing Association World Heavyweight title.

Wardley, 19-0-1 with 18 knockouts, Ipwich, United Kingdom, trailing on the scorecards 89-82, 89-82, and 88-83, was constantly driven back to the ropes from Huni’s hand speed, power body shots, and Huni’s right hands over Wardley’s low hanging left hands. Outclassed, outboxed, bloodied and bruised, Wardley pulled a rabbit out of the hat with his one-punch knockout. However, the win by Wardley, who rose to fifth in the worldwide BoxRec rankings with this win, raised more questions than answers. A technical fighter such as Oleksandr Usyk or Daniel Dubois would have a field day winning rounds on technical skill against Wardley. While referee John Lathem’s count reached ten, Wardley, the victor, stood with a bruised and bloodied face. If this is the sort of punishment Wardley took from the unknown and seemingly limited late substitute Huni, now 12-1 with seven knockouts, Brisbane, Australia, Wardley is not yet ready for world-class opposition at this stage of his career.

In the Ipswich preliminary bout to the main event, 17-0 Pierce ‘Big Bang’ O’Leary of Dublin, Ireland, won the vacant EBU European Super Lightweight title and retained the World Boxing Council International Super Lightweight title by 12-round decision over 15-3-1 Liam Dillion of London, United Kingdom.

Also on the card, 23-0 Nelson Hysa, ‘The Albanian Eagle’, retained the World Boxing Organization European title with a second-round stoppage of 22-5-1 Patrick Corte of Essen, Germany, knocking down Corte in the first and second rounds.


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Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert is the Head Boxing Correspondent for Real Combat Media Boxing since 2013. Robert is also a photographer and ringside reporter for the RCM Tri State region which includes NJ, NY and PA. Robert conducts exclusive interviews, provides historical boxing articles and provides editorial ringside coverage of major boxing events. You can contact or follow Robert on Facebook and by email at [email protected].