WILSON CHASES WORLD CROWN

ONE year ago, Queensland sensation Liam Wilson was down and out, head pounding, seeing stars, his world-title dream in tatters.

Now Wilson has risen from the canvas, literally, and the courageous kid from Caboolture can move within striking distance of a maiden world-title shot with victory on Wednesday night at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The classy super featherweight will headline his first Fox Sports show when he takes on Argentina’s Matias ‘The Cobra’ Rueda (37-1) on a card that will also see Queensland Origin legends Justin Hodges and Ben Hannant go toe-to-toe.

For Wilson (10-1, 7KO), the stakes are huge. Rueda represents the toughest fight of his career, a dangerous, seasoned 34year-old who comes to Brisbane armed with 32 knockouts and just one loss in his 11-year professional career.

If Wilson, ranked No.5 by the WBO, can overcome Rueda, ranked No.8, the Australian will be in contention for a world-title eliminator against No.1 Archie Sharp (21-0) of England.

It is a head-spinning scenario Wilson could not have envisaged last July, when he suffered the first loss of his pro career after being pulverised by Filipino Joe ‘The Jaw Breaker’ Noynay in a fifthround boilover.

His career in disarray, Wilson activated a rematch clause and hit back with a stunning second-round knockout of Noynay in March, a performance that upheld a bedside promise to his dying father Peter.

“It blows me away to be the main event of a Fox show in my hometown and I will show people I am a force to be reckoned with,” Wilson, 26, said.

“Rueda is dangerous. You can‘t have one loss in 37 fights if you don’t have something special, but I showed my character by fighting back after losing to Noynay. It‘s ten years ago this year that my dad was on life support. On his deathbed, I ... made a promise I would win a world title for him.”

On the undercard, Hodges is promising fireworks.