Boxing news 2023: Why Emanuel Navarrete’s win over Oscar Valdez excites Liam Wilson
Six months after he was robbed against Emanuel Navarrete in one of Australian boxing’s most controversial bouts, Liam Wilson is plotting his path to a rematch.
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Liam Wilson watched Emanuel Navarrete’s epic world title slugfest against Oscar Valdez last weekend more closely than most.
The Caboolture-based Wilson was short changed against Navarrete in February in a fight that ranks alongside Jeff Fenech’s controversial draw with Azumah Nelson in 1991 and Andrew Moloney’s second fight against Joshua Franco as Australian boxing’s most heartbreaking robberies.
In the fourth round of their WBO super featherweight world title bout, the $14 outsider Wilson landed a short counter-left hook that rattled Navarrete in a big way.
Three more right hands sent the two-weight world champion Navarrete to the canvas with 49 seconds left in the round.
Navarrete was groggy when he regained his feet, and was given at least 10 more seconds to recover as referee Chris Flores fumbled putting his mouthguard back in.
After a 27 second break, the fight finally resumed with just 20 second left in the round.
Wilson went in for the finish, but the rugged Navarrete was saved by the bell and eventually worked his way back into the fight, stopping Wilson in the ninth round.
The result of that fight has eaten away at Wilson ever since, but Navarrete’s performance against Valdez last weekend puts things in perspective.
In his first fight since their controversial world title bout, Navarrete earned an entertaining unanimous decision win, sending two-time world champion Valdez home with a gruesome eye injury.
“I know what I did against Navarrete, and that was exceptional, but to see Valdez’s performance against him – and Valdez is good, tough opposition – but watching that fight, I couldn’t help but compare myself,” Wilson said. “Look at his (Valdez’s) power against my power.
“It didn’t seem like Navarrete was even flinching at his shots, whereas I knocked him down in the fourth, and hurt him really badly in the sixth.
“I felt like I gave him more resistance and put more fear into him. I feel I did better than (Valdez) across the whole board, so all that fight has done is excite me for a rematch.”
Wilson will take the first steps on the road to that rematch when he faces Argentina’s Carlos Alanis (12-0) on Main Event pay per view at the Hordern Pavilion next Wednesday night.
Alanis comes into the fight off back-to-back knockout victories, but Wilson is confident in his own power and boxing ability.
“I’m coming to make a statement, because that Navarrete-Valdez fight last week has made me even more pumped,” Wilson said.
“I’m a big puncher and if I use my boxing skills, it will result in a decisive win or a big knockout.
“Navarrete knows I’m coming. He’ll know watching back (on our fight) that it was a long count and that the referee favoured him.
“But he knows I’m right there still. I’m number six in the world, and only a few fights away from getting that shot.
“And I’m only going in one direction and that’s towards his world title.”
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Originally published as Boxing news 2023: Why Emanuel Navarrete’s win over Oscar Valdez excites Liam Wilson
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