Tag: Liam Wilson

Weekend Review: Big nights for Amanda Serrano, Alycia Baumgardner, Emanuel Navarrete

Weekend Review: Big nights for Amanda Serrano, Alycia Baumgardner, Emanuel Navarrete.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER

Amanda Serrano – The featherweight queen couldn’t have had a much bigger night. She withstood a spirited effort from a bloodied Erika Cruz to win a unanimous decision Saturday night in New York City, thereby making her the first Puerto Rican native to become an undisputed champion in the four-belt era. That had been her goal for years. And the victory evidently will lead directly to arguably the biggest possible fight in women’s boxing, a rematch with Katie Taylor on May 20 in Ireland. Promoter Eddie Hearn, who handles both stars, made the announcement in the ring after the fight on Saturday. The only thing Serrano (44-2-1, 30 KOs) can do to make her professional life even better is to beat Taylor, which she failed to do last April at Madison Square Garden. Can she do it? Well, she certainly has the ability. And she said she learned in the first fight what she must do to win the second time around. Stay tuned.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II

Emanuel Navarrete – The Mexican star was facing a late-replacement opponent – Liam Wilson – who was better than many had expected Friday in Glendale, Arizona. The Aussie seemed to be naturally bigger than Navarrete, who was making his debut at 130 pounds. And Navarrete was nearly stopped in a harrowing fourth round. Yet, in spite of all that, he put Wilson down, hurt him badly and stopped him moments later in the ninth round Friday to join a select club by winning a major world title in a third division. His ability to overcome such obstacles says a lot about his mettle. There are concerns. I’m not sure he was 100% ready – physically and mentally – to face an obscure late replacement, who got the fight when Oscar Valdez pulled out. I’m guessing Navarrete learned a lesson in that regard. And maybe it would be wise to go back down to 126. Still, overall, Navarrate (37-1, 31 KOs) has reason to celebrate. He had a good night in the end.

 

BIGGEST WINNER III

Alycia Baumgardner (right) took another big step in her career Saturday night in New York City. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom.

Alycia Baumgardner – The Detroit fighter is on a roll. Baumgardner (14-1, 7 KOs) defeated Mikaela Mayer by a split decision to win three of the four major junior lightweight titles and establish herself as a major player last October. And she easily outpointed Elhem Mekhaled to join the ranks of “undisputed” on the Serrano-Cruz card, which is a significant accomplishment. A rematch with Mayer could provide her a platform to take another step toward true stardom. There are concerns regarding Baumgardner, too, though. She looked fantastic against Mekhaled in spurts, when she landed some of the quickest, cleanest combinations you’ll ever see. However, there were other times when she seemed unusually tired. Her conditioning might be something she’ll have to work on to realize her full potential. The talent is there, though. She’s a gifted boxer and fighter at heart. She’ll only continue to get better.

 

BIGGEST LOSER

Liam Wilson: Wilson (11-2, 7 KOs) is a loser only in the sense that he lost a fight on Friday. Otherwise, he opened many eyes. He didn’t seem to be the least bit overwhelmed by the moment in his first shot at a major world title and first fight outside his native Australia. He clearly belonged. He obviously was well prepared for the fight, both in terms of fitness and strategy. And he nearly pulled off an enormous upset in a dramatic fourth round, the result of a mammoth left hook that staggered Navarrete. The Mexican was a few punches from getting knocked out, which would’ve changed the lives of Wilson and those close to him in significant ways. The fact Wilson wasn’t able to finish the job is a painful disappointment. However, even in defeat, he made a strong statement. He’s a capable all-around fighter with elite power and an abundance of confidence. His best days most likely are ahead of him.

 

WORST POLICY?

Did Navarrete benefit unfairly from extra time when he went down in the fourth round, as Wilson claimed? Yes, although we’ll never know to what degree. He spit out (or lost) his mouthpiece when he hit the canvas in an apparent attempt to gain extra time to recover, a common practice in boxing. That required referee Chris Flores to pick it up and give it to Navarrete, who then appeared to have trouble getting it onto his teeth. Flores evidently was following Arizona guidelines when he did what he did. The question is: Should the rules be changed? I don’t know. On one hand, I wish that fighters who lose their mouthpieces would be required to fight without one until the end of the round. That would be fair to the opponent. On the other hand, I obviously don’t want to compromise the well being of that fighter. I would encourage commissions to do research to determine whether fighting without a mouthpiece for a minute or two presents a major or minor health risk and then act accordingly.

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Weekend Review: Big nights for Amanda Serrano, Alycia Baumgardner, Emanuel Navarrete

Weekend Review: Big nights for Amanda Serrano, Alycia Baumgardner, Emanuel Navarrete.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER

Amanda Serrano – The featherweight queen couldn’t have had a much bigger night. She withstood a spirited effort from a bloodied Erika Cruz to win a unanimous decision Saturday night in New York City, thereby making her the first Puerto Rican native to become an undisputed champion in the four-belt era. That had been her goal for years. And the victory evidently will lead directly to arguably the biggest possible fight in women’s boxing, a rematch with Katie Taylor on May 20 in Ireland. Promoter Eddie Hearn, who handles both stars, made the announcement in the ring after the fight on Saturday. The only thing Serrano (44-2-1, 30 KOs) can do to make her professional life even better is to beat Taylor, which she failed to do last April at Madison Square Garden. Can she do it? Well, she certainly has the ability. And she said she learned in the first fight what she must do to win the second time around. Stay tuned.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II

Emanuel Navarrete – The Mexican star was facing a late-replacement opponent – Liam Wilson – who was better than many had expected Friday in Glendale, Arizona. The Aussie seemed to be naturally bigger than Navarrete, who was making his debut at 130 pounds. And Navarrete was nearly stopped in a harrowing fourth round. Yet, in spite of all that, he put Wilson down, hurt him badly and stopped him moments later in the ninth round Friday to join a select club by winning a major world title in a third division. His ability to overcome such obstacles says a lot about his mettle. There are concerns. I’m not sure he was 100% ready – physically and mentally – to face an obscure late replacement, who got the fight when Oscar Valdez pulled out. I’m guessing Navarrete learned a lesson in that regard. And maybe it would be wise to go back down to 126. Still, overall, Navarrate (37-1, 31 KOs) has reason to celebrate. He had a good night in the end.

 

BIGGEST WINNER III

Alycia Baumgardner (right) took another big step in her career Saturday night in New York City. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom.

Alycia Baumgardner – The Detroit fighter is on a roll. Baumgardner (14-1, 7 KOs) defeated Mikaela Mayer by a split decision to win three of the four major junior lightweight titles and establish herself as a major player last October. And she easily outpointed Elhem Mekhaled to join the ranks of “undisputed” on the Serrano-Cruz card, which is a significant accomplishment. A rematch with Mayer could provide her a platform to take another step toward true stardom. There are concerns regarding Baumgardner, too, though. She looked fantastic against Mekhaled in spurts, when she landed some of the quickest, cleanest combinations you’ll ever see. However, there were other times when she seemed unusually tired. Her conditioning might be something she’ll have to work on to realize her full potential. The talent is there, though. She’s a gifted boxer and fighter at heart. She’ll only continue to get better.

 

BIGGEST LOSER

Liam Wilson: Wilson (11-2, 7 KOs) is a loser only in the sense that he lost a fight on Friday. Otherwise, he opened many eyes. He didn’t seem to be the least bit overwhelmed by the moment in his first shot at a major world title and first fight outside his native Australia. He clearly belonged. He obviously was well prepared for the fight, both in terms of fitness and strategy. And he nearly pulled off an enormous upset in a dramatic fourth round, the result of a mammoth left hook that staggered Navarrete. The Mexican was a few punches from getting knocked out, which would’ve changed the lives of Wilson and those close to him in significant ways. The fact Wilson wasn’t able to finish the job is a painful disappointment. However, even in defeat, he made a strong statement. He’s a capable all-around fighter with elite power and an abundance of confidence. His best days most likely are ahead of him.

 

WORST POLICY?

Did Navarrete benefit unfairly from extra time when he went down in the fourth round, as Wilson claimed? Yes, although we’ll never know to what degree. He spit out (or lost) his mouthpiece when he hit the canvas in an apparent attempt to gain extra time to recover, a common practice in boxing. That required referee Chris Flores to pick it up and give it to Navarrete, who then appeared to have trouble getting it onto his teeth. Flores evidently was following Arizona guidelines when he did what he did. The question is: Should the rules be changed? I don’t know. On one hand, I wish that fighters who lose their mouthpieces would be required to fight without one until the end of the round. That would be fair to the opponent. On the other hand, I obviously don’t want to compromise the well being of that fighter. I would encourage commissions to do research to determine whether fighting without a mouthpiece for a minute or two presents a major or minor health risk and then act accordingly.

[lawrence-related id=35434,35425,35413]

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Emanuel Navarrete survives scare to stop Liam Wilson, win title in third division

Emanuel Navarrete survived a knockdown to stop Liam Wilson in Round 9 and win a title in a third division Friday in Glendale, Arizona.

Emanuel Navarrete won a title in a third division, as expected. He had to overcome dramatic adversity to do it, though.

The Mexican star was hurt badly by a left hook from late replacement and significant underdog Liam Wilson and went down moments later, which left Navarrete on the brink of being on the wrong end of a huge upset Friday in Glendale, Arizona.

However, Navarrete survived the scare, got back to work when he recovered and then stopped his Australian opponent in Round 9 to win the vacant WBO 130-pound title in his first fight at the weight.

“This was an amazing victory because it tested me,” he said through a translator. “I needed to know I’m capable of going to canvas, getting up and coming out with the victory. Now I know I’m capable of doing that.”

Navarrete was supposed to have fought countryman and former beltholder Oscar Valdez but Valdez pulled out with an injury, which opened the door for the biggest opportunity of Wilson’s relatively short career.

And Wilson (11-2, 7 KOs) proved from the opening bell that he belonged in the ring with an elite opponent, fighting Navarrete (37-1, 31 KOs) on even terms for the first three rounds and then injecting unexpected drama in the fourth.

It started with Wilson’s signature punch, his left hook, which found Navarrete’s chin and rocked him about two minutes into the round. The shot didn’t put Navarrete down but a follow-up flurry did.

Navarrete was able to get up but was badly dazed, although he was still savvy enough to buy a few extra seconds – Wilson complained of a long count afterward — by spitting out his mouthpiece and then having difficulty putting it back in.

Wilson, apparently moments away from becoming a world champion, went for the knockout when the action resumed but Navarrete was just durable and clever enough to survive until the end of the round and shake the cobwebs in a difficult Round 5.

A clear-headed Navarrete went back to doing his thing in Round 6, which was to punish Wilson with his volume punching. He outworked Wilson in Rounds 7 and 8, which seemed to wear the underdog down and might’ve set up the knockout.

The beginning of the end was a straight right that put Wilson onto the canvas. He got up but seemed to be both hurt and tired, which made him easy prey. Navarrete unloaded power shot after power shot – connecting on many – until the referee stepped in to save Wilson from undue punishment.

The official time of the stoppage was 1:57 of Round 9.

“I’m going to be honest,” Navarrete said. “All I have to say is doing this for 10 years as a professional was worth it. My team and I worked so hard to accomplish this. And in the future, the sky’s the limit.”

That future could include a showdown with Valdez, who is now healthy. That would be another tough matchup for Navarrete, although it couldn’t be much more demanding than the early Fight of the Year candidate he endured on Friday.

Emanuel Navarrete survives scare to stop Liam Wilson, win title in third division

Emanuel Navarrete survived a knockdown to stop Liam Wilson in Round 9 and win a title in a third division Friday in Glendale, Arizona.

Emanuel Navarrete won a title in a third division, as expected. He had to overcome dramatic adversity to do it, though.

The Mexican star was hurt badly by a left hook from late replacement and significant underdog Liam Wilson and went down moments later, which left Navarrete on the brink of being on the wrong end of a huge upset Friday in Glendale, Arizona.

However, Navarrete survived the scare, got back to work when he recovered and then stopped his Australian opponent in Round 9 to win the vacant WBO 130-pound title in his first fight at the weight.

“This was an amazing victory because it tested me,” he said through a translator. “I needed to know I’m capable of going to canvas, getting up and coming out with the victory. Now I know I’m capable of doing that.”

Navarrete was supposed to have fought countryman and former beltholder Oscar Valdez but Valdez pulled out with an injury, which opened the door for the biggest opportunity of Wilson’s relatively short career.

And Wilson (11-2, 7 KOs) proved from the opening bell that he belonged in the ring with an elite opponent, fighting Navarrete (37-1, 31 KOs) on even terms for the first three rounds and then injecting unexpected drama in the fourth.

It started with Wilson’s signature punch, his left hook, which found Navarrete’s chin and rocked him about two minutes into the round. The shot didn’t put Navarrete down but a follow-up flurry did.

Navarrete was able to get up but was badly dazed, although he was still savvy enough to buy a few extra seconds – Wilson complained of a long count afterward — by spitting out his mouthpiece and then having difficulty putting it back in.

Wilson, apparently moments away from becoming a world champion, went for the knockout when the action resumed but Navarrete was just durable and clever enough to survive until the end of the round and shake the cobwebs in a difficult Round 5.

A clear-headed Navarrete went back to doing his thing in Round 6, which was to punish Wilson with his volume punching. He outworked Wilson in Rounds 7 and 8, which seemed to wear the underdog down and might’ve set up the knockout.

The beginning of the end was a straight right that put Wilson onto the canvas. He got up but seemed to be both hurt and tired, which made him easy prey. Navarrete unloaded power shot after power shot – connecting on many – until the referee stepped in to save Wilson from undue punishment.

The official time of the stoppage was 1:57 of Round 9.

“I’m going to be honest,” Navarrete said. “All I have to say is doing this for 10 years as a professional was worth it. My team and I worked so hard to accomplish this. And in the future, the sky’s the limit.”

That future could include a showdown with Valdez, who is now healthy. That would be another tough matchup for Navarrete, although it couldn’t be much more demanding than the early Fight of the Year candidate he endured on Friday.

Emanuel Navarrete vs. Liam Wilson: LIVE updates, results, full coverage

Emanuel Navarrete vs. Liam Wilson: LIVE updates, results, full coverage.

Emanuel Navarrete stopped Liam Wilson in the ninth round to win the vacant WBO 130-pound title, giving the Mexican a major belt in a third division.

The official time of the stoppage was 1:57.

Wilson (11-2, 7 KOs) gave Navarrete (37-1, 31 KOs) more resistance than many expected from the late replacement, including a left hook that put Navarrete down and hurt him badly about two minutes into Round .4

However, the current 126-pound champ survived the rest of that round and a difficult Round 5 before he got back to business, which was to outwork and punish his opponent.

Wilson seemed to wear down — perhaps the result of Navarrete’s body work — as the end drew near.

Finally, about 20 seconds into Round 9, Navarrete put Wilson down and hurt him with straight right. Wilson got up but then endured an onslaught of hard, accurate punches that sealed his fate.

The referee stopped the fight to save Wilson from further punishment.

You can read a full report here.

***

Arnold Barboza of Los Angeles defeated Puerto Rican Jose Pedraza by a unanimous decision in a 10-round bout between junior welterweight contenders.

The scores were 97-93, 96-94 and 96-94.

Barboza (28-0, 10 KOs) outboxed and outworked the former two-division titleholder for most of the fight to claim the most significant victory over his career.

Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs) had some of his best rounds down the stretch but came up short. The 33-year-old is now 0-2-1 in his last three fights.

***

Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez (5-0, 5 KOs) of Tulare, California, stopped James Bryant (6-3, 4 KOs) of Reading, Pennsylvania, after the first round of a scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.

Torrez put his opponent down and hurt him with a left uppercut in the final seconds of opening round.

Bryant got up on wobbly legs and was able to survive the round. However, his corner stopped the fight as he sat on his stool before the start of the second round.

***

Junior lightweight prospect Andres Cortes (19-0, 10 KOs) of Las Vegas survived a bad cut above his left eye — the result of a clash of heads — to defeat Luis Melendez (17-3, 13 KOs) of Puerto Rico by a shutout decision in a 10-round bout.

All three judges scored it 100-90, 10 rounds to none.

***

Middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh, the 21-year-old grandson of Muhammad Ali, defeated Eduardo Ayala by a unanimous decision in a six-round bout.

The scores were 60-53, 59-54 and 59-54, meaning two judges gave Ayala one round apiece. Walsh (8-0, 5 KOs) knocked Ayala (9-3-1, 3 KOs) down in the second round.

***

Lightweight prospect Emiliano Vargas (3-0, 2 KOs) defeated Francisco Duque (1-2, 0 KOs) by a unanimous decision in a four-round bout. Vargas is the son of former 154-pound champion Fernando Vargas.

***

Emanuel Navarrete of Mexico will face Liam Wilson of Australia for the vacant WBO 130-pound title tonight (Friday) at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona (ESPN, ESPN+).

Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs) currently holds the WBO 126-pound belt and is a former 122-pound champ.

Oscar Valdez was originally slated to be Navarrete’s opponent but Valdez had to pull out because of an injury. Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs) agreed to step in for what will be his first shot at a world title.

The main portion of the show is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the broadcast.

Among other featured fights on the card: Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. Jose Pedraza, junior welterweights; Andres Cortes vs. Luis Melendez, junior lightweights; and Xavier Martinez vs. Yohan Vazquez, junior lightweights.

Also, 2020 Olympic super heavyweight silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. will face James Bryant. And middleweight Nico Ali Walsh, the grandson of Muhammad Ali, will take on Eduardo Ayala.

Boxing Junkie will post the result of the main event immediately afterward. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes. We’ll also post the results of other featured bouts.

Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the night of the fight and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

[lawrence-related id=35394,35391]

Emanuel Navarrete vs. Liam Wilson: LIVE updates, results, full coverage

Emanuel Navarrete vs. Liam Wilson: LIVE updates, results, full coverage.

Emanuel Navarrete stopped Liam Wilson in the ninth round to win the vacant WBO 130-pound title, giving the Mexican a major belt in a third division.

The official time of the stoppage was 1:57.

Wilson (11-2, 7 KOs) gave Navarrete (37-1, 31 KOs) more resistance than many expected from the late replacement, including a left hook that put Navarrete down and hurt him badly about two minutes into Round .4

However, the current 126-pound champ survived the rest of that round and a difficult Round 5 before he got back to business, which was to outwork and punish his opponent.

Wilson seemed to wear down — perhaps the result of Navarrete’s body work — as the end drew near.

Finally, about 20 seconds into Round 9, Navarrete put Wilson down and hurt him with straight right. Wilson got up but then endured an onslaught of hard, accurate punches that sealed his fate.

The referee stopped the fight to save Wilson from further punishment.

You can read a full report here.

***

Arnold Barboza of Los Angeles defeated Puerto Rican Jose Pedraza by a unanimous decision in a 10-round bout between junior welterweight contenders.

The scores were 97-93, 96-94 and 96-94.

Barboza (28-0, 10 KOs) outboxed and outworked the former two-division titleholder for most of the fight to claim the most significant victory over his career.

Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs) had some of his best rounds down the stretch but came up short. The 33-year-old is now 0-2-1 in his last three fights.

***

Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez (5-0, 5 KOs) of Tulare, California, stopped James Bryant (6-3, 4 KOs) of Reading, Pennsylvania, after the first round of a scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.

Torrez put his opponent down and hurt him with a left uppercut in the final seconds of opening round.

Bryant got up on wobbly legs and was able to survive the round. However, his corner stopped the fight as he sat on his stool before the start of the second round.

***

Junior lightweight prospect Andres Cortes (19-0, 10 KOs) of Las Vegas survived a bad cut above his left eye — the result of a clash of heads — to defeat Luis Melendez (17-3, 13 KOs) of Puerto Rico by a shutout decision in a 10-round bout.

All three judges scored it 100-90, 10 rounds to none.

***

Middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh, the 21-year-old grandson of Muhammad Ali, defeated Eduardo Ayala by a unanimous decision in a six-round bout.

The scores were 60-53, 59-54 and 59-54, meaning two judges gave Ayala one round apiece. Walsh (8-0, 5 KOs) knocked Ayala (9-3-1, 3 KOs) down in the second round.

***

Lightweight prospect Emiliano Vargas (3-0, 2 KOs) defeated Francisco Duque (1-2, 0 KOs) by a unanimous decision in a four-round bout. Vargas is the son of former 154-pound champion Fernando Vargas.

***

Emanuel Navarrete of Mexico will face Liam Wilson of Australia for the vacant WBO 130-pound title tonight (Friday) at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona (ESPN, ESPN+).

Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs) currently holds the WBO 126-pound belt and is a former 122-pound champ.

Oscar Valdez was originally slated to be Navarrete’s opponent but Valdez had to pull out because of an injury. Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs) agreed to step in for what will be his first shot at a world title.

The main portion of the show is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the broadcast.

Among other featured fights on the card: Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. Jose Pedraza, junior welterweights; Andres Cortes vs. Luis Melendez, junior lightweights; and Xavier Martinez vs. Yohan Vazquez, junior lightweights.

Also, 2020 Olympic super heavyweight silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. will face James Bryant. And middleweight Nico Ali Walsh, the grandson of Muhammad Ali, will take on Eduardo Ayala.

Boxing Junkie will post the result of the main event immediately afterward. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes. We’ll also post the results of other featured bouts.

Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the night of the fight and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

[lawrence-related id=35394,35391]

Video: Emanuel Navarrete, Liam Wilson make weight for Friday’s fight

Video: Emanuel Navarrete, Liam Wilson on Thursday made weight for their 130-pound title fight Friday in Glendale, Arizona.

Emanuel Navarrete and Liam Wilson on Thursday made weight for their junior lightweight fight Friday at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona (ESPN, ESPN+).

Navarrete weighed 129.2 pounds, .8 under the division limit. Wilson weighed 126.3.

Navarrete, a current 126-pound beltholder, and Wilson will be fighting for the vacant WBO 130-pound title.

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Video: Emanuel Navarrete, Liam Wilson make weight for Friday’s fight

Video: Emanuel Navarrete, Liam Wilson on Thursday made weight for their 130-pound title fight Friday in Glendale, Arizona.

Emanuel Navarrete and Liam Wilson on Thursday made weight for their junior lightweight fight Friday at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona (ESPN, ESPN+).

Navarrete weighed 129.2 pounds, .8 under the division limit. Wilson weighed 126.3.

Navarrete, a current 126-pound beltholder, and Wilson will be fighting for the vacant WBO 130-pound title.

[lawrence-related id=35391,35381]

Emanuel Navarrete seeking title in third division in span of seven fights

Emanuel Navarrete will be seeking a major title in a third division in span of seven fights when he faces Liam Wilson on Friday.

Emanuel Navarrete was supposed to have fought countryman and former champion Oscar Valdez in what would’ve been a compelling matchup Friday at Desert Diamond Arena outside Phoenix on ESPN and ESPN+.

Instead, after Valdez pulled out because of an injury, Navarrete, a 126-pound beltholder, will face obscure Australian Liam Wilson for a vacant 130-pound title.

A victory would give Navarrete a major title in a third division – two simultaneously – in a span of seven fights.

“That would be something very satisfying for Team Navarrete,” he said through a translator Thursday at the final news conference before the fight. “… That’s something that’s not easy to get. For me, personally, I will have felt I have done well in my career.”

Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs) will have to make a decision after the fight, win or lose. Does he stay at 130 pounds or move back down to 126?

He was asked whether he was leaning in either direction but shifted the focus to Wilson.

“First of all we’re looking at making sure we score the victory Firday,” he said. “I also know that Wilson comes with a strong desire to win. That’s what we’re focused on 100%. Then, after that, we’ll make a decision.”

Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs) hit the jackpot just getting this fight given his limited accomplishments.

He has fought only 12 times as a professional. And he was knocked out only three fights ago, a fifth-round stoppage against Filipino Joe Noynay that he avenged by second-round KO in his next fight.

He’s coming off the biggest victory over his career, a unanimous decision over capable Martias Rueda last June. Wilson ended up ranked No. 3 by the WBO after that fight.

Still, the more-proven Navarrete is around a 10-1 favorite to win Wilson’s first fight outside his native country.

“I did that (Rueda) fight with one hand,” he said. “I broke my hand midway through the fight. I showed my resilience. I proved to myself, my country, the world that I have what it takes to become a world champion.

“… I plan to give him the fight of his life. I’m going to win.”

[lawrence-related id=35381,32217]

Emanuel Navarrete seeking title in third division in span of seven fights

Emanuel Navarrete will be seeking a major title in a third division in span of seven fights when he faces Liam Wilson on Friday.

Emanuel Navarrete was supposed to have fought countryman and former champion Oscar Valdez in what would’ve been a compelling matchup Friday at Desert Diamond Arena outside Phoenix on ESPN and ESPN+.

Instead, after Valdez pulled out because of an injury, Navarrete, a 126-pound beltholder, will face obscure Australian Liam Wilson for a vacant 130-pound title.

A victory would give Navarrete a major title in a third division – two simultaneously – in a span of seven fights.

“That would be something very satisfying for Team Navarrete,” he said through a translator Thursday at the final news conference before the fight. “… That’s something that’s not easy to get. For me, personally, I will have felt I have done well in my career.”

Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs) will have to make a decision after the fight, win or lose. Does he stay at 130 pounds or move back down to 126?

He was asked whether he was leaning in either direction but shifted the focus to Wilson.

“First of all we’re looking at making sure we score the victory Firday,” he said. “I also know that Wilson comes with a strong desire to win. That’s what we’re focused on 100%. Then, after that, we’ll make a decision.”

Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs) hit the jackpot just getting this fight given his limited accomplishments.

He has fought only 12 times as a professional. And he was knocked out only three fights ago, a fifth-round stoppage against Filipino Joe Noynay that he avenged by second-round KO in his next fight.

He’s coming off the biggest victory over his career, a unanimous decision over capable Martias Rueda last June. Wilson ended up ranked No. 3 by the WBO after that fight.

Still, the more-proven Navarrete is around a 10-1 favorite to win Wilson’s first fight outside his native country.

“I did that (Rueda) fight with one hand,” he said. “I broke my hand midway through the fight. I showed my resilience. I proved to myself, my country, the world that I have what it takes to become a world champion.

“… I plan to give him the fight of his life. I’m going to win.”

[lawrence-related id=35381,32217]