- Emanuel Navarrete is the heavy favorite at -2000.
- Liam Wilson is the overwhelming underdog at +900.
- The winner will be the new WBO Super Featherweight Champion.
The vacant WBO Super Featherweight Title will have a new owner this Friday, February 3, as Emanuel Navarrete (36-1) clashes with Liam Wilson (11-1), slated inside the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Navarrete, who has more fight experience, comes in as the heavy favorite in boxing betting odds at -2000.
SHOWDOWN IN THE DESERT 🏜
Emanuel Navarrete & Liam Wilson will clash for the vacant WBO Junior Lightweight title 🏆#NavarreteWilson | FRI | FEB 3 | ESPN pic.twitter.com/Iil2S3VgXd
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) December 20, 2022
Meanwhile, Wilson, who only has 12 professional fights in his resume, will be the overwhelming underdog in BetMGM’s online sportsbook at +900. It will be a massive step for both boxers because Navarrete moves up in weight from the featherweight division, and this will be Wilson’s first major boxing title opportunity.
Emanuel Navarrete Recent Fight Result
Emmanuel Navarrete is a boxer from San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico, and he instantly collected five first-round TKOs in his first five professional bouts. However, after this perfect start in his career, Navarrete suffered a loss during his sixth pro fight as Daniel Argueta handed him a taste of defeat via unanimous decision.
That early setback in his career prompted “Vaquero” to string up 20 straight victories, including 17 TKO/KO finishes, which earned him his first crack at a world title. In December 2018, Navarrete unanimously beat Isaac Dogboe to become the WBO World Super Bantamweight Champion.
He went on to defend it five consecutive times with a rematch victory over Isaac Dogboe, Francisco De Vaca, Juan Miguel Elorde, Francisco Horta and Jeo Santisima before moving up in the featherweight division and defeating Uriel Lopez Juarez in his debut match in the weight class via sixth-round TKO in June 2020.
This success led the Mexican boxing star into another title shot, this time against Ruben Villa for the WBO World Featherweight Title in October 2020, where he unanimously beat Villa to earn his second world title. Navarette wasted no time and fended off challenges from Christopher Diaz (via 12th-round TKO in April 2021) and Joet Gonzales (unanimous decision in October 2021).
Navarette’s latest title defense of the WBO World Featherweight Belt came against Eduardo Baez in August 2022, where he knocked him out in the sixth round. The 28-year-old looks to add another world title to his name with a win over Liam Wilson this Friday and become a three-division champion.
Liam Wilson Recent Fight Result
Liam Wilson is a 26-year-old Australian boxer with an 11-1 record. He made his professional debut in June 2018 and had a dream start with a first-round knockout of Ricky Curline. Then, three months later, in September 2018, he scored another first-round knockout of Iwan Sanca.
Wilson closed 2018 with a title when he won the Australian Super Featherweight Title over Brent Rice in a masterful unanimous decision performance. The boxer out of Queensland, Australia, extended his undefeated run to nine with four more wins over Jesus Cuadro, Jackson Woods, Rodynie Rafol and Francis Chua.
This immaculate record, though, was snapped by Joe Noynay in July 2021 after handing Wilson a fifth-round TKO loss to deny him the WBO Asia Pacific Super Featherweight Title. But the 26-year-old was granted an immediate rematch and got revenge on Noynay eight months later.
Wilson got one back on Noynay in March 2022 after a second-round knockout finish to avenge his first career loss and win the WBO Asia Pacific Super Featherweight Title. After that sweet revenge, Wilson fought for the vacant WBO International Super Featherweight Title in June 2022 and faced Matias Carlos Adrian Rueda.
The Australian rising star masterfully defeated Rueda en route to a unanimous decision nod from the judges to collect the fourth boxing title of his young career. This Friday will be Wilson’s first major career opportunity, and he is looking for a career-defining victory against Emanuel Navarrete.
Emanuel Navarrete vs. Liam Wilson: Tale of the Tape
| Emanuel Navarrete | Liam Wilson | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 28 | 26 |
| Height | 5’7” | 5’91/2” |
| Reach | 72 inches | 70 inches |
| Record | 36-1 | 11-1 |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| TKO/KO Percentage | 83% | 63% |
Emanuel Navarrete vs. Liam Wilson: Fight Analysis
On paper, Navarrete has the better record of 36 wins and only one loss, with 30 TKO/KOs, equivalent to 83%, while Wilson only has 12 fights under his resume, winning 11 and absorbing one defeat. The Aussie has seven TKO/KO, which converts to 63%. Also, Wilson will enjoy a two-and-a-half height advantage at 5’91/2″ over Navarrete, who stands at 5’7″.
Stylistically, the Mexican is a power puncher who moves forward to find the perfect angle for his punches. His signature combination contains a left hook, a right straight and a left uppercut that victimized his previous opponents. Another combination in his arsenal includes another left hook and a right straight, but this time, he finds the body for a liver shot.
On the other hand, Wilson is more of a volume puncher who throws a lot of jabs and sets up his power punches behind them. He usually starts with a blitz of three right-hand jabs, and when his opponent backpedals, he moves forward and throws a power left straight punch. Although he is not known for knocking out opponents, this effectively scores him points on the judges’ cards.
Despite the volume of punches that Wilson could bring into the match, Navarrete can still neutralize this with one power punch, which will earn him the respect of the Aussie to keep him at bay and not engage in an exchange. Once “Vaquero” finds his distance, this could be a short night, as he can finish off the young Australian in the early rounds of the fight.
Emanuel Navarrete vs. Liam Wilson: Date and Start Time
February 4, 2023, 2:00 p.m. Australian Eastern Standard Time
February 3, 2023, 7:00 p.m. PST
February 3, 2023, 9:00 p.m. CST
February 3, 2023, 10:00 p.m. EST
Emanuel Navarrete vs. Liam Wilson: Fight Prediction
Official Prediction: Third-round TKO/KO victory for Emanuel Navarrete.
See the entire Emanuel Navarrete vs. Liam Wilson odds and wagers here.
Boxing Odds at BetMGM
Boxing odds are available at BetMGM throughout the year.
With updated odds for the biggest fights around the world, the best online betting experience is at BetMGM.
Sign in to your account today — or, if you don’t have an account, sign up today with a sportsbook welcome offer — to start betting. And always check your new account for updated sportsbook promos and bonuses.
