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‘RUNNING TOWARDS ADVERSITY’ takes place on Saturday evening at Portman Road, home of Ipswich Town, where local heavyweight hero Fabio Wardley will take on the Australian Justis Huni for the WBA Interim world title.
Today it was the Council Chamber inside of Ipswich Town Hall which staged the final press conference ahead of the big night and Wardley, Huni, along with promoter Frank Warren offered their thoughts on what we can expect to unfold in the centre circle at Portman Road.
Frank Warren
“This is the Golden Age of heavyweight boxing at the moment. All these guys are fighting each other, the skill and quality of these heavyweights is probably the best it has been for many, many years.
“This is a very important fight in the heavyweight division. The winner of this becomes the No.1 and mandatory for the WBA title, so they have got everything to go for. It doesn’t get any better than that. The winner goes forward and becomes the guy when the WBA title is fought for on a mandatory basis.
“That is the goal, that is the carrot.
“It is big-time boxing in Ipswich. We are in a football stadium and this is huge for Fabio. It is his dream and our job is to try and make these dreams come true. We have delivered as far as that is concerned. Saturday will be a really atmospheric night, everybody is going to be behind Fabio, so he has got everything going for him.
“He knows what he has to do, but he is in with someone who is undefeated, had a stellar amateur career and is coming in off, I think, a second round stoppage. He is a form fighter, he can punch and has stopped seven of his 12 opponents. This is quality boxing and, from the time I have spent with Fabio, I know what his ambitions are, I know what he wants and everything he has set out to do he has done. It shows what a natural fighting man he is to have done what he’s done and where he is at.”
Fabio Wardley
“It definitely does feel different. It has been a funny one this week, with still being at home and where these events are, all being in my home town, just down the road from me.
“On the way here I am bumping into people I know and walking past places I go, so it has a bit of a different feel to it. It has added to a nice and relaxed, chilled week. I haven’t had to uproot and take myself to either Saudi or London, so it has been good for me and the team.
“I’ve heard it all before and if that is all I’ve got in my career it has done me well so far. So it might not do me too bad going forward and in this fight. It is nothing new for me, the standard talk of me not having an amateur background and me being inexperienced in that sense, not having the boxing knowhow, the boxing IQ to bring in the ring on the night.
“I haven’t been defeated yet and I have come across star-studded amateurs and Olympic medalists and all sorts. I don’t know where these things are supposed to match up and are supposed to go wrong for me. They haven’t yet.
“Credit to Justis Huni for thinking he is the man to do that. The most obvious thing to say is I have the power and that is undeniable when you see my fights and all of my opponents have touched the canvas.
“I didn’t get the amateur experience when I was younger, but I have done the hard work and the hard yards since I got into boxing. One of the first things I realised was I had things to make up in the sport. I did that, got my head down and grafted.
“There is no way this is being taken away from me now. Not in my hometown, not on my home stage.”
Justis Huni
“I am feeling excited, pumped and it is only two days out now. I just can’t wait to get in there, share the ring with Fabio and give the fight fans a good fight and the people of Ipswich, so let’s go.
“I’ve still got the same opinion. Two days from now we will be able to showcase it and show everyone what I am all about. We’re here in fight week and it is exciting for me.
“My ring IQ, my experience in the ring, knowing where I am at all times. It will show on fight night. I’ve done all the training that I’ve needed to do and I am ready to go.
“I’ve got my game plan and I am going to show up on the night and stick to it. It doesn’t really matter what we say here, it is on fight night when we’ve got to put all the training and stuff to the test. I am ready to go and can’t wait to share the ring with him.”
