Barry McGuigan picks his winner in intriguing Fabio Wardley vs Justis Huni fight

Fabio Wardley is set to fight Justis Huni at Portman Road on Saturday after his original opponent, Jarrell Miller, pulled out of the bout on short notice due to a shoulder injury

For the second time in his career Fabio Wardley’s white-collar background faces the elite amateur test. It took two bouts to prevail against Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke, but the emphatic nature of his victory in the rematch highlights the scale of the challenge facing former World Amateur bronze medallist Justis Huni.

The Australian took the fight at five week’s notice following the withdrawal of Jarrell Miller. He either needs the money or fancies his chances of fast-tracking his career in Ipswich.

Wardley did not follow the traditional amateur route. It is easy to be dismissive of his white-collar background. I note Teddy Atlas has bet 1,500 dollars on a Huni win.

I’m not so sure. Professional boxing is significantly different to the amateurs. It tests fighters in different ways. In Wardley’s case the traditional route is irrelevant. He is established as a pro and that’s what counts.

I get it. If you are looking at talent alone you could not pick better than Huni. He is a good all-round fighter. He moves well, has great timing and fast hands. But it’s the quality you can’t measure that makes the difference.

You can’t stick a tape measure around the stuff that gets you over the line. But you can feel it. For me Huni lacks a bit of bite. He does not have enough want in him. I’m not sure he can get on the gas and get after people.

Wardley has proved himself in that regard. Getting this far via the white collar route is testimony to that. I watched Huni against big-punching Kevin Lerena, who dropped Daniel Dubois twice. Huni was hurt but he recovered quickly and won the fight.

But Wardley is a tougher prospect than Lerena. At 6ft 5ins he is a modern heavy and he showed against Clarke that he can dig deep.

After Lerena, Huni probably thinks Wardley does not hit any harder. I think he will be surprised. I sense Wardley will be a little too sharp for this guy. I’m just not convinced by Huni.

He’s a talented fighter but perhaps is missing that last ten percent that makes the difference at this level. He is not a devastating puncher yet he likes to exchange and that makes him vulnerable.

He might look good early but I don’t think he has enough about him to hold off Wardley. I think the local boy knocks him out in the last third, or even earlier, to set Portman Road alight.

Follow Barry on X at @‌ClonesCyclone @McGuigans_Gym