Former two division world champ Stephen Fulton has traveled to Australia to fight on the Tim Tszyu-Errol Spence PPV undercard and his bout with home country contender Liam Wilson has taken on added significance as a WBA 130 lb. eliminator.
Stephen Fulton and Liam Wilson will now fight in a WBA junior lightweight world title eliminator when they meet on Saturday's Tim Tszyu-Errol Spence PBC pay-per-view undercard at Afterpay Arena in Sydney, Australia.
The winner of Fulton-Wilson will become the mandatory challenger for WBA 130-pound titleholder Anthony Cacace, PBC and No Limit Boxing announced on Monday. And, their bout, which airs on Prime Video and DAZN PPV (9 p.m. U.S. Eastern time), obviously takes on added significance with a world title opportunity now at stake.
The 31 year old Fulton (23-2, 8 KOs), of Philadelphia, is a former two-division world champion, having held titles at featherweight and unified belts at junior featherweight. He is seeking a shot at a third divisional crown while rebounding from a disappointing unanimous decision loss to O'Shaquie Foster in December. That bout was originally scheduled to be contested for Foster's WBC junior lightweight title but was changed to the vacant interim lightweight belt after Fulton failed badly to make weight.
Meanwhile, the 30 year old Wilson (18-3, 10 KOs), is the home country fighter and aiming for his third crack at a world title. He came close in February 2023, dropping Emanuel Navarrete before being stopped in the ninth round of their fight for the vacant WBO junior lightweight championship. After suffering a seventh-round knockout loss to former two-division champion Oscar Valdez for the vacant WBO interim title in March 2024, Wilson has rebounded with five consecutive victories.
"I've been to America twice chasing this dream and come home with nothing to show for it but the scars," Wilson said. "Robbed once, stopped once. I know what it feels like to have it taken off me. Not this time. Not in my own backyard. This is everything. This is my world title. Nobody is taking it off me again.
"I made a promise to my old man before he passed that I'd bring a world title home, 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."
Fulton-Wilson has also been elevated to the co-main event after the scheduled super middleweight bout between Jermall Charlo and Koen Mazoudier was canceled when Charlo was denied a visa to travel to Australia.
Fulton arrived "Down Under" late last week and was seen here talking with commentator Shawn Porter about getting acclimated to the 14 hour time difference from U.S. Eastern time and the challenge of fighting Wilson,
"To be honest I never heard of him (Wilson) until they offered him (the fight)," Fulton Said Tuesday from Sydney. "But, it was like- I had to go this route, because I wanted the world title. I expect him to be on point. I expect him to be smart. I expect him to try to make the adjustments as well as me. I expect him to be as hungry as he is."
The pay-per-view card will now feature undefeated Australian lightweight prospect Ahmad Reda (8-0, 6 KOs) against former Olympian Paul Fleming (28-1-2, 18 KOs) in a 10-round bout.
