Liam Wilson has fired back at US promoter Lou DiBella’s claims that “nobody gives a f…” about a fight between himself and George Kambosos, stressing an all-Australian blockbuster is now the most lucrative, and exciting, headliner for both fighters.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia, Wilson also continued the increasingly entertaining back-and-forth between two of the nation’s most respected toughs, warning Kambosos that chasing a rematch with now WBO super lightweight champ Teofimo Lopez “would be a mistake”.
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Already a two-time world title challenger at super featherweight, Wilson is now preparing to move up a division and go after a showdown against Kambosos — who was stopped by Vasiliy Lomachenko in a gutsy May headliner for the vacant IBF title.
The 28-year-old Queenslander will make his lightweight debut against Youssef Dib inside the Wollongong Entertainment Centre on Wednesday, July 10.
Australia’s unbeaten Sam Goodman is headlining the No Limit Pay-Per-View event, which also includes a heavyweight bout between exiled NRL star Curtis Scott and AFL great Barry Hall.
While Wilson is aware of the challenge Dib brings, the fighter dubbed Mr Damage is also promising to earn the type of “statement” win that then brings a shot at the man responsible for one of the biggest wins in Australian boxing history.
Back in 2021, Kambosos went and unified the lightweight division with a historic split decision win over Lopez.
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Despite then losing the straps in consecutive defeats to American superstar Devin Haney, ‘Ferocious’ has remained a contender in the division, with DiBella stating before his most recent fight that a Lopez rematch could be next — win, lose or draw.
Wilson, however, suggested that with Kambosos having now lost three of his past four, the biggest — and most lucrative — fight he can take is a multi-million dollar Australian showdown between the two interstate rivals.
Asked about DiBella talking up the possibility of a rematch with Lopez, who has himself moved up and claimed more gold, Wilson replied: “No, that ship has definitely sailed for George.
“And since moving up to super lightweight, Lopez has looked unreal too.
“So even chasing that rematch, it would be a mistake.
“While George may have got that upset a few years ago, I think you can now say he fought a sick Teofimo Lopez.”
Certainly there is no love lost between the pair of Australian toughs, with Wilson predicting before Kambosos’s most recent bout that Lomachenko “uses his head as a speed ball”.
That sledge then promoted ‘Ferocious’, on the night of Wilson’s defeat against Valdez, to hit back by tweeting: “Damn used his head as a speedball #ouch”.
After Kambosos was then stopped for the first time in his career against Lomachenko, his US agent DiBella also shot down the idea of an all-Australian headliner, saying: “No one gives a f … about Liam Wilson”.
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“But it all depends on how you want to view things,” Wilson said when asked for a response to what is now an ongoing back-and-forth between the two camps.
“And I’m looking at this as an Australian boxing fan.
“No, I’m not Vasiliy Lomachenko.
“Not Devin Haney or Teofimo Lopez, either.
“But in Australia, there is a rivalry there and a fight people want to see.
“And that’s why I’d actually like to ask George: ‘Mate, do you want to fight me?’
“Forget the promoters and all that other stuff, I want to know how you feel.
“Because while we’ve both fought for world titles – and he’s won them — neither of us has ever had that real all-Australian showdown.
“So let’s do it.
“We’ve both got credible records, have both fought great rivals, so this is a fight that makes sense.
“This is a fight Australians want and I really do believe George feels the same.”
Asked how he expects a Kambosos showdown to go, Wilson continued: “I know it would be a tough fight.
“Against Lomachenko, I thought George produced a really gutsy performance.
“He came to fight, and held Loma until late, when that body shot got him.
“We’ve seen with George Kambosos in there with the best in the world and the only guy to stop him was Lomachenko, which took until the 11th round.
“But I come to fight too.
“And I f…ing hit hard.”
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Dib, meanwhile, insists a win over Wilson will also open up plenty of opportunities for him.
He added that it was a “real possibility” Wilson was underestimating him in his chase for the former lightweight king.
“As soon as this offer came up, my reaction was ‘we’re in, we’re all in’,” Dib said.
“And winning this fight, it presents me with a whole lot of opportunities because Liam has proven he can hang with the world’s best guys.
“But those opportunities don’t happen without a victory.
“So Liam Wilson is my sole focus.
“It’s going to take all of me to win this fight and that’s what I plan on giving.”
Speaking prior to the Kambosos-Lomachenko showdown, meanwhile, DiBella had suggested the Lopez rematch was on the table for his fighter win, lose or draw.
It was a statement he doubled down on afterwards, when the idea of a Wilson bout was put to him.
“(That fight) might be of significance here but it’s not a fight of significance any place else,” the manager said.
“And I’m not downing Liam, he’s a good prize-fighter.
“But the fight doesn’t mean anything.
“Doesn’t make sense.
“I’m not coming back here for that.
“In fact, if I’m going to make a recommendation George’s next fight will be up in weight because that’s where your next big fight is going to be.”