Boxing
Liam Wilson is set to return to lightweight action in front of George Kambosos
Published
6 months agoon
By
J. HumzaLiam Wilson had his moments against Emanuel Navarrete. (Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images)
Liam Wilson is treating his next fight with Youssef Dib as an audition for a fight with former Ring Magazine lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr.
The 28-year-old from Caboolture, Queensland will move up to the 135-pound division when he faces Dib at the WIN Entertainment Center in Wollongong, Modern South Wales on July 10 in the main event supporting the junior featherweight fight between Sam Goodman and Chainoi Worawut.
Wilson (13-3, 7 KO) is trying to find his feet in a recent weight class after suffering a setback in his last fight against Oscar Valdez (32-2, 24 KO) in March in Glendale, Arizona. This otherwise competitive fight was stopped in the seventh round when Mexico’s Valdez landed a left hook to the jaw, hurting Wilson as he tried to fight his way out of trouble.
It was a bold move that created excitement on television, but ultimately resulted in a defeat for Wilson, who was stopped on his feet by referee Mark Nelson at 2:48 after taking a huge amount of punishment.
Back in Australia, Wilson licks his wounds and works out at the gym.
“I had to go back to the drawing board and fix a lot of the mistakes that I made in my fights,” Wilson said at Wednesday’s press conference to officially announce the No Limit event.
“Unfortunately, I am now in a situation that I know well. I’m at the bottom of the hierarchy and I have to rebuild, show everyone what I can do and get a chance to win another world title.
Wilson came close to defeating Emanuel Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KO) for the vacant WBO junior lightweight title last February, detonating a left hook to the Mexican’s jaw that sent him flying onto Queer Street before punching him with a bludgeon to the canvas in the fourth round in Glendale, Arizona.
However, in veteran fashion, Navarrete spat out his mouthpiece, gaining valuable recovery time. He then turned the tables on Wilson, dropping him and keeping him in the ninth.
This was the one that got away.
“I’m excited about this fight because I had two world title fights very close to me. I felt like these fights were slipping through my fingers,” Wilson said. “Now I’m back to square one. I want to prove to everyone that I can win the world title, and this man is standing in front of me.
“I’m getting close to the weight, it’s going to be a tough fight, but I’m ready, I’m excited. Let’s do it.”
The 31-year-old Dib (21-1, 11 KO) from Sydney is a solid enough challenge for the rebuilding Wilson. The younger brother of former IBF featherweight titleholder Billy Dib, he is a generally fit boxer who has shown a good chin so far, although he lacks the power that Wilson would have to be wary of.
“There’s a lot of pride in this fight because I know his family is a substantial name in Australian boxing. Billy Dib, Billel Dib and Youssef himself,” Wilson said. “I’m very proud of it and I want to put up a good fight, a good performance and end with a nice, decisive victory.”
The real prize in Wilson’s eyes is not a victory over Dib, but a potential clash with domestic rival Kambosos (21-3, 10 KO). The 30-year-old Sydneysider was knocked out in the 11th round by Ukrainian midfielder Vasily Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KO) in Perth, Western Australia on May 12 and an all-Australian hit may have been just what the doctor ordered. is ready to return to the ring.
It’s a fight Wilson certainly doesn’t want to make.
“It will be an experiment for the team,” Wilson said of the weight raise. “As an amateur, I fought in the welterweight division. The weight I struggle with as much as I do now, I haven’t been at that weight since I was 15, 16 years antique. We’ll see if we make it to lightweight. If I feel fit, sturdy, nice and fit, I can stay there.
“I know George Kambosos has that weight. If all goes well, I would like to fight like that if possible. I don’t know what his plans are, but yes.
“Going through this camp, I saw it as the final eliminator for George Kambosos. I said I would move up to lightweight for George Kambosos and that was it. But here I am against Youssef Dib and funnily enough, Youssef Dib also called out George Kambosos a few times.
“I’m only doing this camp because we both want to fight George Kambosos.
“I hear people back home, the average, everyday person, always asking me, ‘When are you going to fight George Kambosos?’ When will you fix it and knock it out?
“I’m like, ‘Listen, I’ll do you a favor, okay?’
“We hope we can achieve that.”
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Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
7 hours agoon
November 23, 2024In a clash of forces between two world title contenders, NABO welterweight titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO) will put his skills to the test against undefeated knockout and NABF welterweight titleholder Raul “El Cugar “. Curiel (15-0, 13 KO).
The 10-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.
“‘The best versus the best’ is Golden Boy’s mantra and that’s what fans will see as Rocha and Curiel take on everything that’s on the table,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Rocha is a veteran whose goal is to win the world title, Curiel is an undefeated blue-chip prospect with huge potential. It’s really a 50/50 fight and I’m looking forward to it.”
Tickets for the Rocha vs. match Curiel will go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, excluding applicable service fees. A confined number of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or at the Toyota Arena box office from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00
“I’ve seen Raul Curiel all these years and he never once mentioned my name,” Alexis Rocha said. “After my last defeat, he suddenly became interested in fighting me. If he thinks I’ve lost a step or somehow had an simple fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. I can’t wait to make a statement and show the world what I’m capable of.”
Santa Ana, California Rep. Alexis “Lex” Rocha comes from a struggling family. The younger brother of Ronny Rios, he was the youngest fighter to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 14 in 2012 and caught the attention of the boxing world by becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. Rocha signed with Golden Boy in January 2016 and made his professional debut in March 2016, defeating Jordan Rosario at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Since then, he has amassed an enviable record of powerful knockouts over top contenders and plans to return to world title contention, with his last fight being a victory over undefeated Santiago Dominguez on July 19 last year.
“The fans can expect a war,” said Raul Curiel. “I’m going to prepare well to put on a great show. This will be the most essential fight of my career so far. I know Alexis is a great fighter, a good opponent and will also show up prepared. My focus is on Alexis and if I can beat him, I know it will give me a chance to fight for the world championship.
Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
24 hours agoon
November 23, 2024Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.
Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.
The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.
Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.
The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.
“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.
“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.
“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”
Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.
“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].
Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.
“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.
Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.
“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.
Boxing
Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul
Published
2 days agoon
November 21, 2024One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.
WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.
Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.
“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.
“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.
“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.
He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”
Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.
Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.
Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.
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