Before he walks out to fulfill a promise tonight, Liam Wilson will first find a quiet corner and talk to dad.
Same deal, Scooter and Effie.
BOXING: Wilson v Valdez WBO Super Featherweight Title Fight | SAT 30 MAR | LIVE & EXCLUSIVE on FOX SPORTS, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
“My two dogs,” smiles this most likeable of Australian fighters, father and allround good blokes.
“They’ve been gone a few years now.
“Both of them.
“But as a little kid, mate, they were my best friends.
“So why wouldn’t I keep talking to them?
“Plus, it keeps me on track, too.
“Which is something I find hard to put into words.
“But one thing about me, I never forget who’s been with me on this journey.
Follow all the action from Wilson v Valdez in our LIVE BLOG below!
“That’s why – and you’re the only person I’ve ever told this to — before fights I will say a prayer, talk with dad, and talk with my dogs.
“Because those conversations, they make me stronger.
“Make me answerable to those who have been on this journey with me from the very beginning …”
Kicked back now in the lounge room of his two-storey US fight camp home, Wilson is talking Fox Sports Australia through what will be the final moments before his world title fight with Mexican superstar Oscar Valdez in Glendale, Arizona.
After all, this is how the biggest weekend in Australian boxing history starts, right?
MORE WILSON NEWS
Liam Wilson’s big Kambosos plan after third world title added to ‘TszyUSA’ weekend
Fundora TOWERS over Tim in crazy faceoff | 00:44
An incredible 24 hours that will see Wilson, Tim Tszyu and Michael Zerafa all throwing down for world titles.
Yet most importantly for the Queenslander, this night, as we said, is where he gets to fulfill a promise.
Understanding it was inside the same Desert Diamond Arena – almost a year ago to the day – where Australia’s Mr Damage was robbed of a world title against Emanuel Navarrete and that infamous ’27 Second’ count.
Prior to the bout, plenty of focus surrounded a moment years earlier when his father Peter, aged 52, and with his liver failing, lay dying in a hospital bed as Wilson promised to one day win him a world title.
And then … well, he was robbed of it.
Yet now, a year on, the 28-year-old is back to face another Mexican, Oscar Valdez, for the WBO interim super featherweight title.
A strap that will quickly become the real deal should Navarrete, who is himself moving up to contest a lightweight title, win gold and stay there.
All of which brings us full circle to those conversations Wilson has before he fights.
Chats with those two beautiful mates from his childhood – kelpie Effie, and border collie, Scooter – and that old man he used to shadow box in the kitchen of their Caboolture home.
A fella too who raced an old XR Falcon through the backstreets of their quiet country town, busting fences as he went, while behind them, sirens wailing, the police gave chase.
Wilson gets a second shot at winning a world title. Picture: Top RankSource: Supplied
Yep, stories, moments, memories, Wilson has bucketloads.
Which is why he wants, and needs, the old boy by his side for however long this promise takes to fulfill.
“So before I walk out,” he smiles, “we’ll have a little conversation”.
As part of his world title pre-fight rituals, Wilson revealed he and his team will also not wear the Mexican-style headbands they tied on last time out against Navarrete.
Just as the trunks, boots and robe of Wilson must be not only different, but a new colour.
“No, I can’t wear the same colours I’ve lost in,” says the fighter who has only suffered two defeats in his professional career.
Yet why?
“Dunno,” he shrugs.
“But I’m like that in every area of my life.
“If something has gone wrong in a certain situation then I have to make sure, if the situation comes up again, I’m not like I was the first time.
“When I lost to Joe Noynay (in 2021) I had white shorts on.
“I can’t stand that colour anymore.
“The thought of wearing white, I just can’t do it.”
Wilson to fight for interim World Title | 00:36
Asked about superstations, his trainer Benny Harrington laughs “if he rocks up to the gym with the wrong socks, he may as well go home”.
“And it’s not that he doesn’t want to train,” Harrington explains. “But the guy is just so finicky.
“Same as when you’re putting tape on his gloves, he wants the absolute minimum.
“You go even a little over and he starts talking about ‘oh, it’s too heavy’.
“I’ll say ‘mate, it’s 0.0001 of a gram’.
“But he’s just like that.
“Everything has to be spot on.
“Which is funny because then in a fight, he loves to take risks.
“Inside that ring, Liam’s just a mongrel of a human who wants to hurt.”
Which, wonderfully, is the plan tonight against Valdez.
Right after those conversations.
So as for what he will tell the old boy?
“I just talk about how we’ve been on this journey, together, since day one,” Wilson says.
“And how this is just our latest hurdle.
“And given how big the big picture is, well, if we can’t get past this we may as well stop … so let’s do it.”
FIGHT START TIME
Wilson and Valdez are expected to fight in the main event at around 2pm AEDT (11pm local time). The undercard, meanwhile, begins at 9.10am AEDT (6.10pm local time).
FULL FIGHT CARD:
Oscar Valdez vs Liam Wilson — Interim WBO super featherweight title
Seniesa Estrada (c) vs Yokasta Valle — Undisputed minimumweight title
Raymond Muratalla def Xolisani Ndongeni via UD (97-93, 99-91, 98-92)
Richard Torrez Jr. def Donald Haynesworth via TKO in Round 1
Emiliano Vargas def Nelson Hampton via UD (60-54 x 3)
Follow all the action from Wilson v Valdez in our LIVE BLOG below!
Liam Wilson v Oscar Valdez, live updates, start time, how to watch, fight card, results, latest – MASHAHER
Before he walks out to fulfill a promise tonight, Liam Wilson will first find a quiet corner and talk to dad.
Same deal, Scooter and Effie.
BOXING: Wilson v Valdez WBO Super Featherweight Title Fight | SAT 30 MAR | LIVE & EXCLUSIVE on FOX SPORTS, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
“My two dogs,” smiles this most likeable of Australian fighters, father and allround good blokes.
“They’ve been gone a few years now.
“Both of them.
“But as a little kid, mate, they were my best friends.
“So why wouldn’t I keep talking to them?
“Plus, it keeps me on track, too.
“Which is something I find hard to put into words.
“But one thing about me, I never forget who’s been with me on this journey.
Follow all the action from Wilson v Valdez in our LIVE BLOG below!
“That’s why – and you’re the only person I’ve ever told this to — before fights I will say a prayer, talk with dad, and talk with my dogs.
“Because those conversations, they make me stronger.
“Make me answerable to those who have been on this journey with me from the very beginning …”
Kicked back now in the lounge room of his two-storey US fight camp home, Wilson is talking Fox Sports Australia through what will be the final moments before his world title fight with Mexican superstar Oscar Valdez in Glendale, Arizona.
After all, this is how the biggest weekend in Australian boxing history starts, right?
MORE WILSON NEWS
Liam Wilson’s big Kambosos plan after third world title added to ‘TszyUSA’ weekend
Fundora TOWERS over Tim in crazy faceoff | 00:44
An incredible 24 hours that will see Wilson, Tim Tszyu and Michael Zerafa all throwing down for world titles.
Yet most importantly for the Queenslander, this night, as we said, is where he gets to fulfill a promise.
Understanding it was inside the same Desert Diamond Arena – almost a year ago to the day – where Australia’s Mr Damage was robbed of a world title against Emanuel Navarrete and that infamous ’27 Second’ count.
Prior to the bout, plenty of focus surrounded a moment years earlier when his father Peter, aged 52, and with his liver failing, lay dying in a hospital bed as Wilson promised to one day win him a world title.
And then … well, he was robbed of it.
Yet now, a year on, the 28-year-old is back to face another Mexican, Oscar Valdez, for the WBO interim super featherweight title.
A strap that will quickly become the real deal should Navarrete, who is himself moving up to contest a lightweight title, win gold and stay there.
All of which brings us full circle to those conversations Wilson has before he fights.
Chats with those two beautiful mates from his childhood – kelpie Effie, and border collie, Scooter – and that old man he used to shadow box in the kitchen of their Caboolture home.
A fella too who raced an old XR Falcon through the backstreets of their quiet country town, busting fences as he went, while behind them, sirens wailing, the police gave chase.
Yep, stories, moments, memories, Wilson has bucketloads.
Which is why he wants, and needs, the old boy by his side for however long this promise takes to fulfill.
“So before I walk out,” he smiles, “we’ll have a little conversation”.
As part of his world title pre-fight rituals, Wilson revealed he and his team will also not wear the Mexican-style headbands they tied on last time out against Navarrete.
Just as the trunks, boots and robe of Wilson must be not only different, but a new colour.
“No, I can’t wear the same colours I’ve lost in,” says the fighter who has only suffered two defeats in his professional career.
Yet why?
“Dunno,” he shrugs.
“But I’m like that in every area of my life.
“If something has gone wrong in a certain situation then I have to make sure, if the situation comes up again, I’m not like I was the first time.
“When I lost to Joe Noynay (in 2021) I had white shorts on.
“I can’t stand that colour anymore.
“The thought of wearing white, I just can’t do it.”
Wilson to fight for interim World Title | 00:36
Asked about superstations, his trainer Benny Harrington laughs “if he rocks up to the gym with the wrong socks, he may as well go home”.
“And it’s not that he doesn’t want to train,” Harrington explains. “But the guy is just so finicky.
“Same as when you’re putting tape on his gloves, he wants the absolute minimum.
“You go even a little over and he starts talking about ‘oh, it’s too heavy’.
“I’ll say ‘mate, it’s 0.0001 of a gram’.
“But he’s just like that.
“Everything has to be spot on.
“Which is funny because then in a fight, he loves to take risks.
“Inside that ring, Liam’s just a mongrel of a human who wants to hurt.”
Which, wonderfully, is the plan tonight against Valdez.
Right after those conversations.
So as for what he will tell the old boy?
“I just talk about how we’ve been on this journey, together, since day one,” Wilson says.
“And how this is just our latest hurdle.
“And given how big the big picture is, well, if we can’t get past this we may as well stop … so let’s do it.”
FIGHT START TIME
Wilson and Valdez are expected to fight in the main event at around 2pm AEDT (11pm local time). The undercard, meanwhile, begins at 9.10am AEDT (6.10pm local time).
FULL FIGHT CARD:
Oscar Valdez vs Liam Wilson — Interim WBO super featherweight title
Seniesa Estrada (c) vs Yokasta Valle — Undisputed minimumweight title
Raymond Muratalla def Xolisani Ndongeni via UD (97-93, 99-91, 98-92)
Richard Torrez Jr. def Donald Haynesworth via TKO in Round 1
Emiliano Vargas def Nelson Hampton via UD (60-54 x 3)
Follow all the action from Wilson v Valdez in our LIVE BLOG below!
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Source Agencies