IPSWICH, England — Fabio Wardley's dramatic comeback victory over Justis Huni saved his long-awaited homecoming in style on Saturday night to claim the WBA's interim heavyweight world title.

While the 30-year-old flickered between self-depreciation and cautious optimism when assessing the performance, his manager Michael Ofo had the last laugh after an awkward inaugural press conference exchange with Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn last month.

Hearn helped Wardley (19-0-1, 18 KOs) cut his teeth in the paid ranks over a 12-fight span between 2018-23, while still a promotional free agent with Dillian Whyte's influence helping him feature on big shows and gain increased exposure.

Wardley signed a one-fight deal with Sky Sports before an absorbing 12-round battle against Frazer Clarke in March 2024, having worked with Queensberry for his first British title defence against David Adeleye five months prior.

He ended his free agency by inking a multi-fight contract to align himself with Frank Warren's burgeoning heavyweight stable and announced himself with an emphatic first-round finish of Clarke during their Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, rematch in October.

Ofo, who has taken more of a front-facing role in Wardley's career after behind-the-scenes work with multiple boxers in recent years, was the butt of Hearn's jokes for being a glorified cheerleader, given his background in osteopathy and overzealous presence during fighter ringwalks.

"Justis is being underestimated, Spencer [Brown] and Mick [Francis] will tell you, we could not believe it when we got the call. When I'm driving home that night, we'll be over the moon at a new superstar of Australian boxing but a small part of me will feel sadness down the A12. It should've been Fabio's night but that's how boxing plays out," Hearn declared during the inaugural presser.

Huni led 89-82 on two scorecards and 88-83 on the third as Wardley absorbed punishment aplenty across all angles from a decorated amateur with the skills to make him freeze and look out of sorts at times, quickly puncturing a rowdy Ipswich crowd perfectly.

Yet midway through Round 10, the 26-year-old ate a hellacious right hand as he threw one of his own in centre ring and referee John Latham waved it off, prompting bedlam and disbelief ringside.

Hearn couldn't help but smile and later congratulate a familiar face as Wardley stood triumphantly and soaked up the electric atmosphere, leaving it late but finding the fight-ending punch.

Ofo said Hearn and Spencer were laughing a round earlier, such was their comfort level at what was unfolding before them, during the post-fight press conference.

Huni, who had beaten the likes of Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Richard Torrez Jr (13-0, 11 KOs) and Paris bronze medallist Nelvie Tiafack over an eight-year amateur career, joined Matchroom two months before Wardley's final bout with Hearn.

Four years his junior and seen as the golden child of Australian boxing, this outcome — especially having been outboxed before the finish — makes it even sweeter for Team Wardley after seizing a fourth man's unbeaten streak.

"Fabio has that special ability to never cave in, shown it time and again, no matter who it is, it'll be the same result and he'll find a way to put you on your back," he told The Ring.

"Most people in there would've quit and gave up, he stayed determined and believed in himself, no matter what heavyweight name you mention, if it gets tough, he'll grind it out and get you out of there because that's his mentality, he's built different.

"I know we talk about white collar but he's a very special, elite-level athlete, just never had the opportunities others had when he was going through his journey. Now he has the talent, opportunities to show himself, he's a natural-born fighter, a fighting man, boxing is secondary — he's learning how to box — but naturally there's no better heavyweight in the world."

Warren, who later admitted getting carried away when going over to Wardley's corner, urging his man to throw the right hand, spoke about having a genuine belief in his capability to show how he's a "beast" in the ring. "He'd done it against someone with a sterling amateur career before, so he's used to it. Fabio's a fighting man and that's why you'll get a special night here," he said last month.

It wasn't pretty viewing for half-an-hour and they will be first to accept as much, but those comments proved prophetic.

Queensberry proudly shared a graphic Monday featuring 12 of their heavyweights. All of them are champions (interim included) or highly ranked contenders from world level all the way to European and British, like Wardley's former foe Adeleye and WBO European titleholder Nelson Hysa (23-0, 21 KOs), who stopped Patrick Korte in two rounds on Saturday's undercard.

Ofo made sure to tell everyone in earshot that WBA (regular) champion Kubrat Pulev (32-3, 14 KOs) isn't necessarily the No. 1 option, as the father-to-be now prepares for some well-earned downtime over the coming months. While hyperbole overrides rational after adrenaline-spiking moments like these, Wardley's making it easy for many to get carried away and wonder what next.