Boxing
Fabio Wardley pulls out knockout punch from the heavens to get one step closer to facing Usyk-Dubois 2 winner
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Justis Huni was thoroughly outboxing Fabio Wardley through nine rounds Saturday night.
Everything from the Australian underdog’s shot selection to his level changes and spacing were showing up brilliantly as his amateur pedigree was overwhelming the hard-hitting Wardley with sweet science skills that the latter was not prepared for.
But all of that changed in a second when Huni made the mistake of punching in traffic and Wardley blasted him with a right hook for a jaw-dropping 10th-round knockout at his homecoming show at Portman Road in Ipswich, United Kingdom, and live on DAZN.
“I don’t profess to be a Justis Huni, [Oleksandr] Usyk, someone with all the skills,” Wardley said live on DAZN. “But one thing I do know how to do is win fights, dig deep.”
Wardley added: “Sometimes you just have to find a different way to win. We pulled it out the bag.”
He sure did and with the rousing victory, Wardley (19-0-1, 18 KOs) added to his growing legend recording his 18th knockout in 20 fights and more importantly claimed the interim WBA heavyweight world title, bringing him one step closer to a crack at the winner of next month's Usyk-Daniel Dubois rematch for the undisputed heavyweight crown.
For nine rounds, that looked like a slipping reality for Wardley on Saturday night.
Huni was banking rounds in the performance of his lifetime as his brand of boxing was one that Wardley could not figure out as the latter resorted to clinching and looked winded at times.
But with his head down on the line in the 10th round, Huni swung and missed with a right hand and Wardley did not, uncorking an eviscerating right hook to instantly lift the spirits of the hometown Ipswich crowd and punch his way onto the brink of the biggest fight of his life.
Watch Usyk vs Dubois 2 exclusively live on DAZN PPV, Saturday, July 19. Buy the PPV now here.
