Justis Huni faces more surgery and a long road back to the heavyweight summit after a cruel 10th-round knockout robbed him of one of Australian boxing's great triumphs.
The Brisbane heavyweight's valiant bid for the WBA interim world title was ended in devastating fashion by English star and favourite Fabio Wardley on Sunday morning (AEST).
The 26-year-old had stepped in on five weeks' notice to replace injured American fighter Jarrell Miller, and for nine rounds looked in complete control in front of a raucous crowd at Portman Road, the home of Wardley's beloved English soccer team Ipswich Town.