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Sport

Liam Wilson focused on landing rematch with Emanuel Navarrete or facing George Kambosos following world title furore

Australian super-featherweight Liam Wilson is still pulling himself back together after his controversial loss to Emanuel Navarrete, but his plans for the future have never been more clear.

With Wilson's team filing an official protest over his ninth-round knockout loss to the Mexican, only two fights are on the Queenslander's radar for the future.

"Either way, if it (the Navarrete fight) comes off as a no-contest and there's a rematch for the title, I'm down for it," Wilson told ABC Sport.

"Or even if they keep it as a loss and a rematch is allowed and I'm fighting the champion this time in Navarrete, if we can get the rematch for that belt, I'm all for it.

"If it's not the rematch, I'd love to have an all-Australian showdown with George Kambosos. Those are the only two fights I'm really thinking about at the moment.

"I'd step up to lightweight, where he's comfortable, I'm all for that as well."

But before either of those bouts can materialise, the exact circumstances of Wilson's defeat to Navarrete must be sorted out.

Wilson was on the verge of a monstrous upset when he sent Navarrete clattering to the canvas in the fourth round with a trademark left hook.

After what seemed to be a long count, Navarrete fought on and eventually finished Wilson in the ninth.

"I think it's pretty evident it was a prolonged count. It was much longer than it should have been. The referee stuffed around and we're definitely going to contest it and try and get it overturned," Wilson said.

"I think it was an unfair result and when you fight for a world title that's not what you want to be rewarded with. I don't mind losing, so long as it's losing fair and square, and I did in the end, but we shouldn't have even got there. I should've won by knockout.

"I had control through the first four or five rounds and slipped up after that. Not only was I in a fight, I was in a fight with the officials and I knew myself the fight should have been over.

"My style changed after that, I was looking for that one punch, throwing the left hook over and over to try and finish the fight and that exerted too much energy.

"It's very disappointing that I lost. I had so much on the line."

Wilson intends to stay in America for a short holiday before returning to Australia.

He plans to begin training for his next fight, whatever it may be, within the month.

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