Brisbane-born Justis Huni plots a world-title boilover in the biggest fight of his career

Brisbane sensation Justis Huni is aiming to become just the second Australian heavyweight in more than 100 years to win a world title. But he will need to get past a man who has a lethal strike rate.

He is Australia’s heavyweight golden boy ready to shock the world.

In one of the most significant events in Australian sport, Brisbane-born Justis Huni will fight for a heavyweight world title when he takes on England’s Fabio Wardley in the United Kingdom on Sunday morning (AEST).

Just one Australian heavyweight in more than 100 years has won a world title, with Lucas ‘Big Daddy’ Browne famously shocking Ruslan Chagaev in his own backyard in Chechnya to win the WBA strap in 2016.

Now, almost a decade later, Huni is hoping to emulate Browne by going into hostile enemy territory before a sold-out crowd of 25,000 in a massive stadium fight at the home of English Premier League side Ipswich Town.

Justis Huni fighting Kevin Lerena for the WBO Global Heavyweight tile in 2024. Picture: Richard Pelham/Getty Images

Australia's Lucas Browne celebrates his victory over Uzbekistan's Ruslan Chagaev in their WBA world heavyweight boxing title during 2016. Picture: AP Photo/Musa Sadulayev

Wardley (18-0-1, 17KO) is the raging $1.33 favourite, but Huni (12-0, 7KO) has vowed to pull off an Ashes boxing boilover and join Jai Opetaia as Australia’s only current male world champions.

Ironically, Opetaia will fight just hours later on the Gold Coast, the duo part of a Tasman Fighters stable that believes Huni is on the brink of Australian boxing history.

Fabio Wardley is the raging hot favourite. Picture: Richard Pelham/Getty Images

“This is a massive opportunity and if I win, it’s going to change my life,” said Huni, who will challenge Wardley for the interim WBA world title over 12 rounds.

“He will try and take my head off, but he only has one thing against me and that’s power.

“The problem for Wardley is he knows I’m the better boxer.

“I have more speed, more ring IQ, faster hands and I believe I will outbox this guy.

“This is a huge coming out party for me.”

Brisbane-born Huni is rated the fastest heavyweight in the world. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Huni’s rise is extraordinary. He started out in rugby league, playing for Souths Sunnybank, the same junior club that produced NRL legend Johnathan Thurston, before quitting to take up boxing at age eight.

The Meadowbrook mauler from Logan only turned professional five years ago, winning the Australian heavyweight title in his debut against Faiga Opelu before 500 people at Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall.

Now Huni will confront 25,000 screaming Poms baying for Wardley to bash Australia’s No. 1 heavyweight and inflict the first defeat of his career.

Justsis Huni at 17 and, the world amateur boxing champion, in his hometown of Logan, pictured with Dad Rocki Huni and trainer Mark Wilson. Picture: Jono Searle

The legendary Jeff Fenech is the fastest male in Australian boxing history to win a world title, stopping Japan’s Satoshi Shingaki in just his seventh pro fight in 1985.

Four decades later, the 108kg Huni could scale the world-title summit in his 13th fight.

“He has done the hard yards. He deserves this,” said Huni’s manager Mick Francis.

“He will win because Justis Huni is the best heavyweight to ever come out of this part of the world.

“He missed out on the Olympics (in 2021) because of injury, he was the favourite to win gold at Tokyo.

“Justis is a generational fighter.

“It will be a long time on earth before we see another natural talent at this size move the way he does in a boxing ring.

“This is a massive moment for our sport.

Huni’s opponent, England’s Fabio Wardley (left), has savage knockout power with 17 from 18 wins. Picture: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

“If he wins on Sunday, it will be one of the great wins in Australian boxing history.”

At 196cm and 109kg, Wardley is renowned for his punching power, boasting 17 knockouts from 18 wins.

But Huni is widely regarded as the fastest heavyweight in world boxing. Slick, quick and gifted with lightning hands, Huni says he will slice and dice Wardley as a unique specimen in boxing’s land of the giants.

“The pressure on me is nowhere near as big as he will feel,” Huni said.

“He will walk out to a whole stadium of his fans. He has to impress them. I’m the underdog. Not a single person will know me, but they will after this fight.

“It’s not one-punch power for me, it’s drowning my opponents and putting punches together.

“I am going to take him to deep waters and drown him.”

Originally published as Brisbane-born Justis Huni plots a world-title boilover in the biggest fight of his career