Former world title challenger Liam Wilson 14-3 (8) has landed at lightweight with a splash, knocking out Youssef Dib 21-2 (11) in eight rounds at the WIN Entertainment Centre in Wollongong, Australia on Wednesday night.
Wilson went into the bout treating it as an audition to face former Ring Magazine, WBA, WBO and IBF lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr 21-3 (10).
He passed the test with flying colours.
The 28-year-old Wilson of Caboolture in Queensland looked stronger and more powerful at the weight. He was able to cut off the ring effectively and his stamina was not effected by draining himself down to the super featherweight limit of 130-pound.
If Sydneysider Dib, 31, thought he could frustrate Wilson into making mistakes simply by being elusive, he was sorely wrong. A composed Wilson stalked Dib in the early rounds, working behind a stiff jab.
Dib stood his ground more in the middle rounds and had some success with the counter right hand over Wilson’s left, but he also wore some big body shots that visibly hurt him.
The end came late in the eighth when a left hook to the jaw stunned Dib and sent him backwards into the ropes. Wilson, never one to let an opportunity pass him by, jumped on Dib and landed to more hard left hooks that sent him sprawling to the canvas.
Referee Les Fear waved off the contest at the 0:46 mark. At the time of the stoppage Wilson was leading 68-65 and 67-66 twice.
“I had to dig very deep, he has a very experienced corner, we knew that going into this camp,” Wilson said.
“He’s a tough competitor, he’s been around a long time, he’s fought some very good people and this is my first fight at lightweight as well.
“There were some tough moments in that fight. Youssef is a good fighter and we weren’t only worried about Youssef but his team as well.”
Wilson has come up short in world title shots against Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez in the past 18 months, being stopped in the ninth and seventh round respectively.
Sydney’s Kambosos, 31, has arguably not won a fight in more than two-and-a-half years since defeating Teofimo Lopez via split decision in November 2021.
A disputed majority decision win over Maxi Hughes one year ago was sandwiched between back-to-back points losses to Devin Haney and an 11th round knockout loss at the hands of Vasiliy Lomachenko in May.
Wilson believes the time is right for them to meet in the ring.
“That’s all I want — doesn’t Australia want that as well?” Wilson said. “Let’s make a good fight for the fans and let’s get a fight happening.
“George, I have a good resume, you have a good resume. You’re coming off four losses, I think we should give the fight fans of Australia the fight they want.
“You’re a good fighter, I respect you, we’ve travelled together in Russia many years ago. You know who I am, I know who you are, let’s make the fight happen.”
