Liam Wilson was agonisingly close to landing blockbuster fight on Manny Pacquiao and Tim Tszyu’s undercard in Las Vegas

Liam Wilson is potentially one win away from landing another world title shot, but he was excruciatingly close to being added to one of the biggest cards of the year.

Liam Wilson is back in action on June 25 in Cairns. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

Liam Wilson was agonisingly close to fighting on the same card as Tim Tszyu and Manny Pacquiao on July 19 in Las Vegas, before the deal fell through at the last minute.

The Queenslander will instead fight on the same card as Liam Paro on June 25 on a non pay-per-view show in Cairns.

But the 29-year-old was tantalisingly close to facing Brandon Figueroa on one of the biggest cards of the year at the MGM Grand.

“I was on it. I had a fight on that card, but it fell through and was cancelled,” Wilson tells Code Sports.

“The fight was confirmed, and then a day later it was cancelled.

“I got kinda excited about that. I always put my hand up when an opportunity arises, and that’s what I did.

“I put my hand up, I’ll always fight anybody, but unfortunately the fight fell through.

“I’ve got no idea why.”

Wilson has two back-to-back wins over Youssef Dib. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Former WBC super-bantamweight world champion Figueroa will now face Joet Gonzalez on the Pacquiao card, which also features Tszyu’s rematch with Sebastian Fundora in the co-main event.

That card was made official over the weekend, with Tszyu jetting to the US for a five-day media and promotional shoot whirlwind.

Wilson also revealed he could barely spar, couldn’t hit pads or work on the heavy bag in the lead-up to his fight of the year unanimous decision win over Youssef Dib in March.

As first revealed by Code Sports, Wilson went into the fight with fractured L2 and L3 vertebrae and needed cortisone injections to get through camp.

His team was close to pulling him out of the high stakes fight, and he was forced to train wearing a back brace after injuring his back seven weeks out from the fight.

“My trainer wanted me to pull out, but I just felt that if I could spar, I could fight,” Wilson told Code Sports. “So, I fought.

“I had two fractured vertebrae in my back, so I had to manage camp and do the best I could to get through it.

“But I never thought about pulling out.”

Wilson was in a firefight with Oscar Valdez last year. Picture: Getty Images

Wilson claimed a thrilling decision win, dropping Dib twice early on, before being deducted a point for a low blow in the ninth round.

“I couldn’t do bag work in the lead-up, couldn’t do pad work, I couldn’t really even twist my body,” he said.

“Even my sparring was pretty restricted. I was just sticking to my jab and keeping my punches very light.

“I just fought with what I had and got the job done.

“Deep down, I’m just a fighter, and a little injury doesn’t deter me. If there’s a fight that’s been put to me, I’ll take it.”

Three months on, Wilson is fully healed, has dropped from lightweight back to his natural super-featherweight division and is preparing to take on Ayrton Gimenez on June 25.

A win will see ‘Mr Damage’ move within touching distance of another world title shot.

Wilson still wants revenge after his controversial loss to Emanuel Navarrete in 2023. Picture: Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images

Wilson was short-changed in his first world title tilt against Emanuel Navarrete in 2023, before being outgunned by Oscar Valdez last year.

Wilson dropped Navarette in the fourth round, but the referee allowed the Mexican nearly half a minute to recover.

Navarrete eventually stopped Wilson in the ninth, and the Aussie is hell bent on revenge.

“It’s everything to me,” he says. “I feel like I let it slip through my fingers.

“I’m not going to sit here and argue the decision. It is what it is. It’s made me more hungry and it’s made me the person I am today.

“It’s made me realise how resilient I am.

“But that world title shot, that’s the main objective. I’m holding onto the saying ‘third time lucky’.

“I’m number four in the world now, and a win will move me up, and then I’m just a phone call away.

“Hopefully it’s the rematch with Navarette that everyone’s been wanting.”

Originally published as Liam Wilson was agonisingly close to landing blockbuster fight on Manny Pacquiao and Tim Tszyu’s undercard in Las Vegas