By Murray Wenzel
Jeff Horn says Liam Wilson “is like a dog that sees blood” in the ring and is backing the Queenslander to engineer his own shock world title win.
Wilson takes on Mexican Emanuel Navarrete for the vacant WBO super featherweight world title in Phoenix on Saturday morning (AEDT), his opponent unbeaten in more than 10 years and 31 fights.
Liam Wilson knocks down Rodynie Rafol on the undercard of the light-middleweight world title elimination bout between Tim Tszyu and Bowyn Morgan in Sydney in 2020.Credit:Getty Images
Bookies have the Brisbane talent a rank outsider but Horn, who shocked Manny Pacquiao to win the WBO welterweight title in 2017, is taking them on after feeling what the 26-year-old is capable inside the ropes.
“He’s definitely a very tough boy,” Horn said.
“And he doesn’t match what he looks; he’s barely 60 kilos but it’s just crazy how powerful he is for the size he is.
“He’s got that thing like if a dog sees blood, he goes for it. He’s very full on.
“At 10 to 1 (odds) that’s ridiculous; I’ll be putting something on him.”
Wilson has flown under the radar in 12 professional fights, earning a shock world title chance against the two-division champion when Oscar Valdez was injured.
His Phoenix chance looked a distant fantasy when Wilson was knocked out by Joe Noynay in 2021.
But Horn thinks Wilson has learnt from that loss and has genuine hope considering Navarrete will fight at the heavier, super featherweight class for the first time.
“He’s been written off after being knocked out two fights ago and that’s probably why the titleholder goes, ‘Yeah sure, let’s fight this guy’,” Horn said.
“Liam has a puncher’s chance with that power behind him but he has the boxing ability as well.
“He just can’t afford to go too crazy because he’s done that before and got himself knocked out.
“Once he’s in there his brain will switch to another place. He’s going to be like a machine in there – seek and destroy frame of mind.”
Wilson was to fight on fellow No Limit Boxing talent Tim Tszyu’s world title card in Las Vegas last week, before being summoned to his date with Navarrete.
That Vegas battle was then postponed, and Wilson was now a chance of earning a world title strap before Tszyu gets his chance in an alternative bout with Tony Harrison in Australia on March 12.
Horn said a win at Desert Diamond Arena would give Wilson the profile boost he deserves back home.
“That’s sometimes what us Australians do,” Horn said.
“We don’t take notice until the whole world does, then we say, ‘Oh, OK we’ve got something good here’.
“But he has his fans that know his capabilities and I’m one of them and think he can be world champion.”
– AAP
