Boxing 2023: Liam Wilson declares he was robbed, wants rematch with Mexico’s Emanuel Navarrete
Liam Wilson’s trainer Ben Harrington says the fight with Emanuel Navarrete must be declared a no contest, lashing the handling of the Mexican’s knockdown as ‘awful’.
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Boxing braveheart Liam Wilson has challenged Mexican champion Emanuel Navarrete to a re-match in the wake of a drama-charged world-title loss slammed as a “piss-take” by the Australian camp.
Wilson’s promoters No Limit have lodged a formal protest with boxing authorities following the controversial knockdown that saw Navarrete afforded a staggering 27 seconds to survive after being felled by his underdog rival.
It is understood the World Boxing Organisation will meet on February 15 to decide whether to rule the bout a No Contest and potentially order a rematch between the super featherweight duo.
Buoyed by subjecting Navarrete (37-1, 31KO) to the most punishing test of his decorated career, Wilson (11-2, 7KO) wants another crack at the three-division champion immediately — and the Mexican mauler is said to be open to a rematch in Australia.
“In a perfect world, I want this called a No Contest, a rematch for the exact same belt and in Australia if we can do it,” said Wilson, who almost shocked the boxing world before being stopped by Navarrete in the ninth round in Arizona.
“I definitely want a rematch if it’s for the exact same position. It has to be to win a world title. I wouldn’t do a rematch for nothing, it’s a dangerous fight and I am happy to take the hard fights.
“I believe I have what it takes to beat him. I showcased that.”
Wilson’s trainer Ben Harrington revealed the two fighters — who were stationed just two doors apart from each other in the same Arizona hotel — had spoken after the fight about a return bout.
“Liam spoke to him and they were talking about potentially fighting in Australia,” he said.
“Navarrete said he would be willing to come to Australia if the money is right.”
Twenty-four hours after his gut-wrenching near miss, Wilson was still ruing the fourth-round machinations that saved Navarrete from a massive boilover and his first loss in 32 fights.
American Hall of Fame promoter Lou DiBella, who helped put together the George Kambosos-Devin Haney title showdowns, lashed the handling of Navarrete’s knockdown as “awful” and demanded a re-match.
Replays on American television showed Navarrete was given exactly 27.8 seconds to recover after hitting the canvas.
It included him spitting his mouthguard out, and the referee putting it back in upside down as Wilson desperately waited for the killer blow.
“It should definitely be ruled a No Contest, it’s blatantly obvious what happened,” Wilson said.
“I can handle losing but I had the chance to win and I feel like that was taken away from me.
“The ref said before the fight he’d call it (off) at eight seconds if one of us weren’t looking good.
“What people don’t realise is that the ref put the mouthguard back in, put it upside down in his mouth.
“To me it was just a big piss-take and looked well and truly planned to buy him some time.”
Harrington added: “We hate talking like this. We’re real boxing people. Saying ‘we’re robbed’ is not us and it’s not Navarrete’s fault.
“We all saw the count, it was ridiculous. At worst he takes a point off Navarrete for spitting his mouthguard.
“I was a little bit suss on that ref — he was the one in the (pre-fight) meeting talking in Mexican to Navarrete.
“I thought, ‘hang on, these guys are tight’.”
Despite the defeat, Wilson is adamant he can bounce back to finally clinch his world-title dream.
“I feel like I belonged,” he said.
“What gives me motivation is seeing my whole country back me through this. I feel like a hero back home and want to do the Australian people proud.
“It should have been over. I should be world champion I believe, but I’ll fight back.”
‘Robbed’: Aussie lodges protest over title fight fiasco
Liam Wilson’s promoters have called for boxing bosses to rule a No Contest in the wake of the Emanuel Navarrete knockdown debacle that robbed the gutsy Australian of a world title.
The Navarrete-Wilson battle for the vacant WBO super featherweight title was marred by a controversial fourth round when the Mexican champion was knocked down and appeared to be given more than 10 seconds to rise to his feet.
It is alleged Navarrete (37-1, 31KO) was afforded between 20-27 seconds to survive – and he did just that to rise from the canvas, somehow steady himself, and storm home to stop the Australian in the ninth round.
Wilson’s promoter Matt Rose confirmed he has lodged a protest and has called on boxing authorities to rule the bout a No Contest, sensationally claiming fight promoters Top Rank also agreed the count went beyond 10 seconds at Glendale’s Diamond Desert Arena.
“Liam was robbed, definitely,” Rose fired.
“I hope the commission look at it the way everyone else saw it and they overturn the result to a No Contest, so Liam gets another crack (at Navarrete) straight away.
“Liam should be a world champion.
“The count was long in that fourth round (when Navarrete went down), everyone knows it was long.
“I was sitting next to Top Rank, (Navarrete’s) own promoters, and even they said the count was long.
“It’s sad. We should be in here celebrating right now. I feel sorry for Liam. He did all the hard work and he deserves to be the champion right now.
“Australia should have another world champion.”
The long count was salt to the wound of a drama-charged build-up. At the weigh-in a day earlier, the Australian camp accused the Mexicans of cheating by tampering with the scales to enable Navarrete to sneak under the 130-pound weight limit.
Despite the shattering defeat, Rose lauded Wilson’s fighting qualities.
“It was an unbelievable performance. Liam really showed he is world class,” Rose said.
“Navarrete is a three-division world champion and no one gave Liam a chance.
“Liam is a warrior, he is the type of fighter people love to watch and support.
“We have a little champion that is worth following and he’s exciting. Not many fighters around the world fight like he does.
“He still shocked the world in defeat.”
Wilson claims robbery amid protest drama
It was the 20 seconds of mayhem that broke a brave Australian boxer’s heart.
A tearful Liam Wilson claimed he was robbed and his team sensationally lodged a formal protest after the Australian suffered a crushing and controversial world-title loss to Mexican hitman Emanuel Navarrete.
Another George Kambosos-style boilover loomed at Glendale’s Desert Diamond Arena when Wilson produced the fight of his life, dropping Navarrete in the fourth round in a wild and vicious battle for the vacant WBO super featherweight crown.
Seemingly broken, the battered Mexican showed the heart of a true champion, somehow rising to his feet before roaring back to grind the gutsy Queenslander into the Arizona dust.
The bullet came in the ninth round, Navarrete pulverising a bloodied Wilson with a flurry of savage punches before the referee intervened.
It continued Navarrete’s 10-year winning streak and saw him become just the 10th Mexican in history to win world titles in three divisions after stepping up to the 130-pound class from featherweight.
But for Navarrete, it was a great escape of the highest order as the Desert Diamond Arena was plunged into pugilistic melodrama.
Wilson was adamant he knocked out Navarrete and his Australian promoters No Limit lodged a protest over one of the most controversial knockdowns in Australian boxing history.
“I feel shattered,” said an inconsolable Wilson, shedding tears in his dressing room.
“If it’s true that it was 20 or 27 seconds, I’m definitely robbed.
“That’s robbery.
“I thought I won the fight.”
A raging $8 underdog, Wilson was as sublime as he was stoic in his world-title debut, evoking images of Kambosos and Jeff Horn with their epic upsets of Teofimo Lopez and Manny Pacquiao respectively.
Ultimately, Wilson will forever rue a drama-laced fourth round that almost saw him conjure an Arizona ambush.
In just his 13th professional fight, Wilson shocked the pro-Navarrete crowd when he dropped the Mexican with a right-left combination that sent the champion crashing to the canvas.
The 28-year-old, having won 31 consecutive fights, looked gone. The 10-count seemed to take an eternity. It was sufficient enough time for Navarrete to survive. He then summoned all his Mexican street smarts to spit out his mouthguard and scramble for it, buying yet more time as a hungry Wilson desperately waited to deliver the knockout blow.
With Navarrete wobbling, the Caboolture slugger clobbered him again, but the bell rang just as victory loomed, allowing the Mexican to regather and hold his nerve to bury Wilson in the later rounds.
Watching from the heavens, Wilson Senior would have beamed with pride as his son went within seconds of shocking the boxing world and becoming an Australian sporting hero.
“This has been a dream of mine since I was a kid and I’ve come up just short,” Wilson said.
“He was wobbly after he got up, but it shouldn’t have got to there.
“I could see his face (when Navarrete hit the canvas) and I felt it was a knockout.
“His eyes were f***ed, rolling in his head.
“It’s just a shame it took so long and there was enough time for him to find his measure again.
“He was able to spit his mouthguard out, buy a few more seconds.
“Next thing you know it’s nearly 30 seconds and it’s a shame.
“I don’t think that’s fair.”
Liam Wilson should be world champion already. How has the referee let this go on??!! @abcsport
— QUENTIN HULL (@QuentinHull) February 4, 2023
What.. Liam Wilson had him knocked out? Why let him keep going! #Boxing
— Zane Bojack (@zanofc) February 4, 2023
For all the explosive allegations, Navarrete’s lion-hearted spirit cannot be undersold. While technically awkward, he is truly special, summoning the toughness bred in all great Mexican pugilists.
Even the sixth round belonged to Wilson, who landed another sweet quinella of left hands, almost dropping Navarrete again as he fooled the champion by continually switching to southpaw.
Under siege, Navarrete exploded in the seventh and eighth rounds, peppering a wearying Wilson as he closed in on a 32nd consecutive victory.
Entering the ninth, Navarrete could smell blood. Finally, the brave and bloodied Wilson could absorb no more.
The Mexican went for the jugular and he duly delivered the last rites, the referee stopping the contest with 63 seconds left in the ninth to snatch the 26-year-old’s tantalising title dream.
Given his inexperience, it was a magnificent display by Wilson, who proved he is world class and capable of trading with the best.
“I hope I did Australia proud,” he said.
“It’s a chink in the pride ... but I just want Australia to know I am a true champion.”
A relieved Navarrete lauded his rival’s toughness.
“He was a great warrior, he landed that big shot and it stung me,” Navarrete said.
“I settled myself down and once that happened I was able to get the victory.”
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