Liam Wilson: Team Navarrete tampered with scales! I’ve never weighed 126 in my life!

Title fight weigh-in drama explodes as Liam Wilson’s camp says scales were ‘tampered with’ Australia’s Liam Wilson has sensationally claimed the scale used for his hyped world title weigh-in was illegally “tampered with” — allowing superstar Mexican rival Emanuel Navarrete to come in heavy. On a dramatic morning inside the Desert Diamond Arena, Wilson hit the scales for the biggest fight of his life weighing well under the super featherweight limit of 130 pounds, or 59kg. According to the scales, the Queenslander was a shocking 126.3 pounds (57.3kg), while overwhelming fight favourite Navarrete, meanwhile, was almost bang on the limit at 129.2 pounds (58.7kg). Yet in bizarre scenes, the Aussie fighter and his team – plus No Limit promoter Matt Rose – were demanding answers afterwards, convinced that rather than Team Wilson erring with the weight cut process, the scales had been tampered with. Had Navarrete come in heavy, he would have lost his chance to fight for the vacant WBO super featherweight title on the scales. While the fight would have still gone ahead, only Wilson would have been competing for the belt. However, famed Top Rank boss Bob Arum, whose promotional company is overseeing proceedings, dubbed the scale tampering claims as “bulls***.”. Asked about suggested the scales had been tampered with, Arum responded: “Oh, c’mon, this is Arizona. “Nobody f***d with the scales. “It’s bulls***.” So no controversy? “He made the weight for Christ’s sake,” Arum continued, before pointing out how every other fighter on the undercard had weighed in without drama. “There weren’t any abborations with the other fighters. “And nobody touched that scale before that (main) fight was weighed in. “I hate all these conspiracy theories in boxing. Let me assure you, the scales were accurate.” Speaking immediately after weighing in however, Wilson revealed that prior to taking to the scales officially, he had jumped on and been almost exactly at the weight limit. However, when he returned for the official weigh-in 20 minutes later, and having done nothing but sit around backstage, his weight had dropped by 1.8kg, or four pounds. “There is something wrong with those scales,” Wilson said afterwards amid the chaos, clearly shocked by the suggestion he had weighed in so light. “I came in under by four pounds. “That’s not normal. “I’ve never been that light in my whole life. Or not in 10 years. “So something went wrong with those scales “Because I checked the scales 20 minutes before (weighing in) and I just made weight. “So then to be four pounds under? Something has happened there. “I think he (Navarrete) hasn’t made weight and they’ve tampered with the scales.” Asked to confirm he believed somebody had tampered with the scales, the 26-year-old Caboolture product continued: “One hundred per cent. “I didn’t lose four pounds in 20 minutes. “I was in a room just out the back, 10 metres away. “But in that time they must’ve realised he (Navarrete) couldn’t make the weight, tampered with (the scales) … it’s pretty evident that has happened.” Elsewhere, Rose also suggested that there was something amiss. “Liam jumped on the scales an hour ago and weighed 129.5 (pounds),” the Aussie promoter said. “Then he jumps on the scales for the official weigh in and he’s 126. “So they’ve changed the scales or done something. You can’t lose that much weight within the hour sitting in a room. “He wasn’t in a sauna. “So we believe Liam’s come in at 129 and Navarrete is over. “We’re asking questions but everyone is avoiding us. “But we’ll keep asking questions until we get an answer from someone. “There’s something going on.” All which had Wilson feeling what about his superstar rival? “It’s unfortunate,” continued the Aussie. “I respect the sport and he should’ve respected the sport. “He knows what it takes to be a champion. “It’s evident he has come here not in a champion way. “And I think it shows he took me lightly. Didn’t take his training seriously and it’s going to show tomorrow night.” Regardless, Wilson said the issue would not stop his quest to become a world champion, and the fighter remained convinced he would weigh around 64kg come fight night. “The fight goes ahead,” he said. “My dream is to become the world champion and it’s one day away. “I’m one day from fulfilling that promise to my dad. “So what’s four pounds or whatever it was? I’m ready.” Yet the drama did not stop there. To prove he had not weighed in so light, Wilson jumped back on the scales before leaving the venue, and within an hour of official proceedings, and was already back up 132.3 pounds. His team took a video of the process, which showed the fighter without a shirt, but wearing tracksuit pants and socks, and passed it on to Fox Sports Australia. https://www.foxsports.com.au/boxing/drama-erupts-as-aussie-claims-scales-were-tampered-with-so-rival-made-weight-for-title-bout/news-story/cdac4481732a7c7530d5a95e8d78487b ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​