Revealed: Fresh twist for Tszyu mega-card as Aussie star lands major world title chance

Sometime before walking to the ring this Sunday afternoon, Liam Wilson will disappear into a quiet corner of his dressing room and speak with the old man.

“Dad,” the popular Queenslander will say to that late Kingaroy meat worker, and later panel beater who helped raise him, “we’ve got another big fight on our hands. And a fight that now puts us at our final destination …”

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Doesn’t it what?

In an exciting twist to this Sunday’s blockbuster between Tim Tszyu and Errol Spence Jnr, it can now be confirmed Wilson’s own showdown against American Stephen Fulton will be a WBA super featherweight eliminator.

The bout will also become co-main, after fellow American Jermall Charlo was ruled out of his own fight against Koen Mazoudier after failing to be granted a travel visa by the Australian government.

As revealed by Fox Sports Australian on Sunday, US boxing great Paulie Malignaggi had offered to step in on just seven days’ notice, and given he was already working the card as part of Main Event Australia’s broadcast team.

However, it is understood No Limit have opted against signing the former world champion, who despite having recently competed in bareknuckle boxing, is now 45 and without a professional boxing appearance in almost 10 years.

Instead, and speaking on Monday afternoon, both Wilson and No Limit boss George Rose confirmed what will be a huge addition to Sunday’s No Limit blockbuster – and a chance for Wilson to make good on a longtime promise to his late father, Peter.

It has now been three years since one of Australia’s most dangerous punchers – and a fella dubbed Mr Damage – was robbed in his first title attempt against Mexican superstar Emanuel Navarrete.

Wilson appeared to have secured one of this nation’s great sporting upsets when, as an almost 9/1 underdog, he dropped Navarrete in the fourth round of their championship headliner in Phoenix, Arizona.

Yet with Navarrete seemingly gone, he was then given a ridiculously long count of 27 seconds to not only find his feet, or even the end of the round, but eventually rally and stop Wilson himself in the ninth.

Then two years back, Wilson was also stopped while chasing gold against Oscar Valdez, with his second Mexican title rival also revealing afterwards how the Queenslander’s heavy hands had almost stopped him too

Now on Sunday, Wilson gets the chance to punch his way into what would be a third world title attempt against WBA champ Anthony Cacace.

“I’ve been to America twice chasing this dream,” Wilson said shortly after the eliminator was confirmed. “And both times I’ve come home with nothing to show for it but the scars.

“Robbed once, stopped once. I know what it feels like to have it taken off me.

“Not this time, though. Not in my own backyard. This is everything. This is my world title. Nobody is taking it off me again.”

Previously, Wilson has spoken about how, aged 15, and in what would be his last ever conversation with dad before he passed, the younger slugger promised to eventually go win a world title in his honour.

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia in 2023, he explained: “Prior to every fight, I’ve always disappeared to a quiet place in the dressing room where I’ll speak with dad.

“I’ll say ‘dad, we’ve got another big fight on our hands. And one that gets us another step closer to our final destination.

“I’ve said it to him over 100 times already.”

Same again this weekend against Fulton.

“I made a promise to my old man before he passed that I’d bring a world title home,” Wilson said on Monday, “and I’ve carried that with me every single day since.

“Stephen Fulton is a two-time world champion and I respect that. But respect doesn’t win fights.

“I’m coming for damage and I’m coming for the world.”

Ireland’s Cacace captured the WBA title in March, scoring a unanimous decision win over Jazza Dickens in Dublin.

WBA officials have since ordered the Belfast southpaw to next defend against interim champ Elnur Samedov, meaning the winner of Fulton versus Wilson will be next in line.

“This is exactly the kind of opportunity we set out to create for Australian fighters,” Rose said.

“Liam Wilson has been denied twice on foreign soil and now he gets his shot at home, with a world title shot on the line. You don’t get more real than that.

“Stephen Fulton is one of the most credentialed operators in the sport and he’s coming to Australia to make a statement. Liam knows exactly what’s in front of him and he’s not shying away from it – he’s chasing it.

“This is why we build cards like this. Genuine world title stakes, world class fighters, and giving Aussie fighters the chance to make history.”