The void left behind by Shakur Stevenson at junior lightweight has resulted in at least two significant fights secured to help reshape the title picture.
Matt Rose of No Limit Boxing has confirmed a deal in place between Australia’s Liam Wilson and England’s Archie Sharp to meet. The fight will take place on the undercard of the Jermell Charlo-Tim Tszyu undisputed junior middleweight championship clash on January 28 in Las Vegas, likely at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
No Limit Boxing represents both Wilson and Tszyu.
A push was made for the Sharp-Wilson bout to come with the vacant WBO junior lightweight title at stake, which became available along with the WBC belt when Stevenson (19-0, 9KOs) missed weight ahead of his September 23 win over Robson Conceicao. Sharp—who fights for Probellum—is the current number-one contender, while Wilson is number four.
However, that status has changed as it was confirmed that reigning WBO featherweight titlist Emanuel Navarrete plans to campaign at junior lightweight for his next fight and has first rights to challenge for the vacant title as a recognized ‘Super’ champion. It has been widely reported that Navarrete (36-1, 30KOs) will next face former two-division titlist Oscar Valdez for the WBO 130-pound title, targeted for February 3 at a location to be determined.
The WBO is currently considering a proposal by No Limit Boxing for Sharp-Wilson to serve as a final eliminator and with a guarantee to face the winner of the proposed Navarrete-Valdez title fight.
Wilson (11-1, 5KOs) has won his last two starts, including a revenge-fueled second-round knockout of Joe Noynay in March to avenge a stunning fifth-round stoppage defeat last July. In his most recent start, Wilson—a 26-year-old contender from Caboolture, Queensland, Australia—earned a ten-round, unanimous decision win over Matias Rueda on June 29 in Brisbane.
Sharp (22-0, 9KOs) has steadily advanced in the WBO 130-pound rankings, taking aim at then-titlists Jamel Herring and Stevenson (19-0, 9KOs) during his rise to contention. The 27-year-old Londoner has wisely fought in WBO-sanctioned regional title fights since 2018 to aid his cause.
Most recently, Sharp outpointed Alex Rat over ten rounds on June 18 in Leeds, England.
The fight will represent the first in the U.S. for both Sharp and Wilson, both of whom have fought exclusively in their respective home countries.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox