“Way better than that; Ipswich popular boxer Fabio Wardley break silence following his dramatic win at Portman Road
Fabio Wardley Experiences ‘Relief and Elation’ After Stunning Knockout Win at Portman Road
Ipswich boxer Fabio Wardley described feeling a mix of “relief and elation” after his dramatic comeback victory over Justis Huni at Portman Road.
Fighting in front of an electrified home crowd of around 20,000 fans, the former Chantry High School student appeared to be thoroughly outclassed by the more seasoned Australian fighter. Going into the 10th round, Wardley was likely trailing on the scorecards, potentially down 8-1.
However, the 30-year-old unleashed one of his signature knockout punches in a stunning twist, securing the WBA interim world heavyweight title and improving his professional record to 19 wins, no losses, and one draw (with 18 knockouts).
When reminded that the bout had been billed as ‘Running towards adversity,’ Wardley laughed and quipped, “More like running into punches!”
He went on to say, “I’ve always said I’m a work in progress. I don’t have everything perfected yet. I’m still learning, even with 20 fights under my belt and an interim world title.”
Wardley acknowledged Huni’s extensive experience, noting, “Justis has had more amateur fights than I’ve had total fights in my life. He’s been boxing since he was eight. I’ve only been in the sport for about eight or nine years.”
“These types of fights help me improve. Look at how I grew from the first Frazer Clarke fight—a draw over 12 rounds—and how that translated into a first-round knockout in the rematch. I’ll take the lessons from this fight too, especially facing someone with Huni’s speed and skill set.”
When asked about how he felt after the victory, Wardley responded, “Relief—and then, elation. I wasn’t happy with how I performed. I know I’m capable of much better boxing. But sometimes, you have to find a way to win, even if it’s not pretty.”
He added, “I had a quiet moment with myself in the corner. I didn’t get here by sulking or giving up. I had to push through and figure it out as I went.”
