James Regan
Jun 3, 2025, 06:30 AM ET
Justis Huni knows he will face a hostile atmosphere when he steps out to fight Fabio Wardley at Portman Road on June 7, but it won't faze him one bit.
Once you realise some of what he's been through, you will understand why.
Huni (12-0, 7 KOs) has bided his time for a fight he says will "change his life" if he beats Wardley (19-0-1, 17 KOs). The Australian was a replacement for Jarrell Miller, stepping up on six weeks' notice, but says he's more than ready.
He has settled in Blackpool in the northwest of England for training camp. While it is a coastal town, it's a far cry from the golden sands and stretching blue skies of Australia's Gold Coast.
Regardless, the build up has been a lot quieter than before his fight against Joseph Goodall in 2022, when his house was shot up in the early hours of the morning five days out from the bout.
"It was scary. I was living in the house, my whole family was in the house that night, even my nephew and nieces who were just babies," Huni told media when reflecting on the incident.
Huni was a rising star in Australia and the attack drew immediate attention. But, with a fight to win in just a few days, he got his head down and simply carried on. He went to sparring that morning, business as usual.
"I had all police and TV crews at the front of my house... And I had sparring that morning. I just looked straight past it and just went. Got my sparring done and then came back home to so [many] reporters.
"The timing of it was crazy."
In what will be the biggest fight in front of the largest crowd of his career at the home of Ipswich Town Football Club, Huni has consistently faced questions about how he will handle the occasion. Reflecting on that day in 2022, Huni says if he can handle that, a few thousand opposing fans will be easy work.
"Everything is all character building and everything has got me to where I am today and [for me] to be able to get me past obstacles that are about to come up June 7th.
"Everything in my life has happened for a reason."
The mantra has served him well through various adversities in his career. He was a gold medal hope ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, but was forced to withdraw from competition after he broke his hand on the eve of the Games.
Now, he finally has a chance to announce himself in the northern hemisphere.
With the likes of Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury reaching the home straight of their respective careers, young up and comers are jostling for the best position to become the face of the division. Daniel Dubois has already established himself, and both Huni and Wardley believe they can make the move.
"That's one of the reasons why I took this fight on such short notice. It's life changing, a fight this big at this point in my career," Huni says.
"It's massive for me going forward, for my future, my career and just future fights that I'm going to have. This fight plays a big role in me taking the next step to where I want to get to."
