No Limit boxing 2023: Tim Tszyu hails Liam Wilson as Australia’s next world champion

Wilson (11-2, 7KO) faces his moment of truth when he takes on Argentina’s Carlos Alanis (12-0, 4KO) in the co-main event to Foxtel’s Nikita Tszyu-Jack Brubaker pay-per-view show at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion.

For Wilson, it is the first step towards redemption after the devastation of his world-title robbery against Mexican champion Emanuel Navarrete six months ago in Arizona.

The Brisbane banger’s world-title dreams turned to dust in the American desert when Navarrete was afforded a disgraceful 27-second count to survive — and eventually win — after being dropped by Wilson in the fourth round.

Rather than be bitter, Wilson has vowed to get better and Tszyu is adamant his newly-minted No Limit stablemate will eventually conquer the world — starting against Alanis.

“For sure he can win a world title,” said Tszyu, who will nervously watch his brother Nikita attempt to bash Brubaker in his pay-per-view headlining debut.

“He was supposed to win against Navarrete in my eyes … Liam has all the skills.”

On the eve of the Alanis bout, a confident Wilson called out former lightweight unified world champion George Kambosos and Tszyu would relish the 27-year-old stepping up a division for an all-Australian super fight.

“It‘s a cracking fight, it would be a great Aussie fight,” Tszyu said.

“I think George is chasing other things at the moment, that‘s only my opinion, but a fight like that in the future (against Wilson) would be a great fight.”

For all his talent, there are fears for Wilson’s long-term future in the sport.

He suffered a worrying collapse in the lead-up to his brilliant showing against Navarrete and the classy Caboolture pugilist was supposed to fight on the Tim Tszyu-Carlos Ocampo card in June, only to wage a battle with vertigo.

But Wilson insists he has made a full recovery and dismissed concerns he could be forced into an early retirement.

“No, I have no concerns about my head knocks,” he said.

“Look, I reckon I have about four years left in the sport.

“I reckon I will be fighting until about 30 or 31 and that will be it.

“People who are in the same position I’m in have had 25 fights, but I’ve taken no shortcuts, so I’ve taken the hard fights early.

“You may as well go hard and fast and I’ve done that.

“I have two kids and a partner. Me being a professional fighter, being in training camps all the time, it takes away from me being a true representation of a father.

“I want to give to my kids and not be a grumpy bastard when you are training and dieting.

“I reckon I have four or five years left in the fight business and then I will spend plenty of quality time with the kids.”

For now, Wilson has unfinished business. He is determined to annihilate Alanis on his way to a potential world-title rematch to avenge his Mexican mugging.

“I am looking to redeem myself,” he said.

“I took on a two-division world champion in Navarrete and that fight has given me more confidence that I can win a world title eventually.

“I dropped him in the fourth round and I hurt him again in the sixth.

“It was one punch away from disaster for him.

“People are asking me if I’m upset and I say not really. It has built this great motivation inside me to become a world champion. I know I am so close. It’s just a matter of timing.

“Alanis is a decent fighter. He has a good body shot and pretty quick hands. We are prepared for a 10-round war and I want to make a statement, whether it’s a boxing masterclass or a knockout, I want to move forward and get that world title shot again.”