Fabio Wardley believes his pro experience trumps Justis Huni’s amateur glory.
Fabio Wardley says he’s not concerned about Justis Huni’s superior amateur background ahead of Saturday’s fight at Portman Road.
In response to Huni saying he’s a better boxer, Wardley replied, “Yeah, maybe. Is he a better fighter, though? We’ve seen what I’ve done with amateurs in the past — Olympics bronze medalists, Commonwealth Games medalists.
“I’ve always come up against them, and there’s always been the very obvious play off of each other — ‘Oh, he’s white collar, he hasn’t got that background, and this guy’s a star-studded amateur. He’s done all this — this, this, this this.’
“Maybe. Great. But we’re not in the amateurs anymore. This isn’t the amateur game, this is professional boxing, and I’ve been in the game longer than him. I’ve done more in the game than he has. I’ve been on these big stages, under the bright lights, under the pressure. It’s a sink or swim moment, I think, for Justis.”
The 30-year-old Wardley (18-0-1, 17 KO) famously got started late in boxing as a white collar boxer, finding he had a true knack for the sport that has transitioned into good professional success already, and a place among the division’s top 10.
Last time out in October 2024, he obliterated Frazer Clarke in the first round of their rematch, just over six months after the two went to a 12-round draw.
Huni (12-0, 7 KO) comes in on fairly short notice as a replacement foe in this bout, replacing the injured Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller. Huni was officially named the new opponent on May 2. The 26-year-old Australian was a bronze medalist at the 2019 World Championships in Yekaterinburg. He’s been boxing since the age of eight, a more traditional path to this fight than that of Wardley, but as Wardley stated, that sort of thing has not been a difference-maker against him thus far.
The two will be fighting for the interim WBA title.
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