BRISBANE, Australia – Liam Wilson remains on course for a shot at the WBO junior-lightweight title later in 2026 after stopping Rodex Piala in four rounds.

The Australian had absorbed Piala’s aggression throughout the opening three at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, and he appeared at risk of a difficult night but having resisted Piala’s momentum clinically dropped him with a body punch from which he couldn’t recover.

Wilson has made little secret of his desire to secure a rematch with Mexico’s Emmanuel Navarrete, who holds the relevant title and fights his compatriot Eduardo Nunez, the IBF champion, on February 28.

Navarrete – who recorded a controversial stoppage victory over him in 2023 – has rarely appeared interesting in fighting him again, but Wilson, at 29, is improving, and if he continues winning may leave the aggressive Mexican with little choice.

It was in the second round when the 30-year-old Piala – who had spoken of wanting to rebuild the family home destroyed in November by a typhoon in the Philippines – hurt him with an overhand right and forced Wilson to cover up. 

He continued to let his hands go and occasionally caught and hurt Wilson again, particularly when landing successive left hands to the body.

The Filipino had been backed up towards the ropes towards the end of the fourth round and raised his guard to protect his head when Wilson then so accurately threw a left hand under his ribcage. The way that Piala hit the canvas made it instantly apparent that he was struggling. It soon became similarly apparent that he wouldn’t recover; after two minutes and 56 seconds he was counted out.

“I’m blessed with the left hand but we had to box the right fight,” Wilson said afterwards. “He was a tricky customer. I got the job done and on to the next.”

Stevan Ivic made his second successful defence of the Australian heavyweight title by earning a majority decision over Liam Talivaa when, at the conclusion of 10 competitive rounds, he was awarded two scores of 96-94 and another of 95-95.

The promising Billy Polkinghorn, also of Australia, had by then won his six-round lightweight contest with the Philippines’ Jomar Paliwen via three scores of 60-54.