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Fabio Wardley v Justis Huni
Venue: Portman Road, Ipswich Date: Saturday, 7 June
Coverage: Follow live text commentary from 20:00 BST on BBC Sport website & app
Fabio Wardley may soon be celebrating a solid night’s sleep with the same gusto as a knockout victory in front of 20,000 home fans.
As the British heavyweight prepares for arguably the toughest test of his career on Saturday, there is another monumental challenge waiting for him outside the ropes – becoming a father.
The 30-year-old’s partner is due to give birth to their first child just a week after Wardley fulfils a long-held dream: fighting at the home of his beloved Ipswich Town Football Club against undefeated Australian contender Justis Huni.
With a midwife appointment just 30 minutes away, Wardley candidly speaks to BBC Sport about the uncertainty of impending parenthood.
“I don’t know if I’m nervous about changing nappies or not,” he jokes.
“Fighting is at least something I have control over and have done a few times, so I know what I’m doing.
“But this whole new stage after this fight – being a dad – is going to be a whole different realm.”
Should Wardley approach fatherhood with the same mindset that he has driven his boxing career – dedication, a hunger to learn and a fierce determination to embrace the journey – he should be fine.
At 19, Wardley was working in recruitment, having never laced up a pair of gloves. A decade later, a victory over Huni will move him one step closer to a world-title shot – possibly as early 2026.
“You never know when the call could come and it’s you at the front of the queue,” he says. “I’ll certainly be putting my hand up and saying ‘I’m ready’.”
The ‘gangly’ novice turned boxing headliner
Wardley acknowledges that fighting so close to his partner’s due date is not ideal, but the opportunity to be the main event at Portman Road was simply too good to pass up.
“I didn’t believe it would happen up until six, seven months ago,” says Wardley, a lifelong fan of the ‘Tractor Boys’.
“For everything to fall into place – the pitch, the season ending, the right opponent – is extremely difficult. But all the things have aligned perfectly.”
The journey to this landmark moment has been anything but straightforward, though.
Once commuting daily from Ipswich to London for work, Wardley devoted his evenings to learning the fundamentals of boxing.
It was not until he knocked out three of four opponents in the unlicensed white-collar boxing scene – where novices compete often for charity or personal challenge – that he decided to turn professional.
“Had I known how much I’d take to boxing, I’d probably have left my job a bit earlier,” he says.
“Some of those old fights are still on YouTube – I almost cringe at how gangly and uncoordinated I was. But seeing the improvement makes me feel good.”
Picking ‘hard opponents’ to silence the doubters
Getty ImagesWardley silenced critics who questioned his lack of amateur background with a brutal first-round knockout of Frazer Clarke last October, having fought to a draw against the Olympian seven months prior.
“The 12 rounds I had with Frazer were enough to see me through for a little while,” he says.
“It did me good not to go through that again in a rematch – not get more miles.”
Originally set to face Jarrell Miller on Saturday, Wardley faced a late opponent change when the American withdrew because of injury.
Instead of opting for an easier fight, he chose Brisbane’s Huni – a 26-year-old unbeaten heavyweight with an impressive amateur pedigree.
“Boxing fans always need convincing and I’m picking hard opponents to show them what I’ve got in my locker,” Wardley says.
“They’ve seen a lot of people come and go, some who they thought would do great things and haven’t, and others they underestimated who’ve gone on to do really big things.
“That’s why I pick guys like Justis or Frazer — to prove and test myself.”
Keeping a keen eye on Usyk-Dubois
Wardley will be closely watching next month’s undisputed heavyweight title fight between Daniel Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk – perhaps during a late-night nappy change.
Usyk has suggested he only has two fights left, meaning a future bout with Wardley seems improbable, but not impossible.
When Wardley first sparred with Usyk in 2018, any prospect of facing the generational great felt “a million miles away”.
More realistically, Wardley believes a showdown with Dubois could be on the horizon, with both fighters handled by Queensberry Promotions.
“I’ll be pushing my mandatory status, aiming to be at the front of the queue or next up on the list,” he adds.
The world-title dream and future opponents will become clearer after the weekend, with Wardley hoping there is no urgent dash from the ring to the delivery suite.
