Scalegate: Liam Wilson comes in light for Navarrete, then alleges the scale was rigged
By Norm Frauenheim –
GLENDALE, Ariz. – Everybody made weight. Still, there was controversy.
Call it scalegate.
At least, that’s how Liam Wilson and his Australian corner seemed to describe it Thursday after the official scale produced some surprising results at the official weigh-in for his junior-lightweight title fight with Mexican Emanuel Navarrete at Desert Diamond Arena Friday night on ESPN (10 pm ET/7 pm PT.)
The scale was all over the place. At least, it was for Wilson.
After 12 undercard fighters stepped on and off the scale with no complaints, the flap began.
When Wilson first stepped on the scale, he looked down and saw 126.3 pounds. He was closer to featherweight, 126, than a junior-lightweight, 130. He looked once. Looked again.
What he saw might have made a Jenny Craig-customer happy. But it prompted only suspicion in Wilson.
Navarrete, a two-time champion seeking to be only the 10th Mexican fighter to win a world title at a third weight, tipped the scale at 129.2. No surprise there. But some heavy allegations soon followed.
Wilson alleged that the scale had somehow been manipulated.
“I believe they have realized he hasn’t made weight and they have tampered with the scales,” said Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs), a big underdog to Navarrete, (36-1, 30 KOs) who still holds a featherweight title. “I was shocked because I haven’t been that light in the last 10 years.’’
His corner went on to say that there was no way the scale was accurate.
Wilson’s promoter, Matt Rose of No Limits, said there’s no way Wilson could have lost so much weight. Rose said Wilson tested the scale about an hour before the weigh-in.
“He weighed 129.5 (pounds),” Rose said. “Then he jumps on the scale for the official weigh in and he’s 126. So, they’ve changed the scale or done something. You can’t lose that much weight within an hour, sitting in a room.’’
As the ballroom cleared about an hour later, Wilson returned to the scale a couple of times. With a sweat shirt on, he said he was at 135. With the shirt off, he said he was at about 132.3.
Rose said Wilson didn’t drink a lot of water after the official weigh-in. He said he didn’t sit in a sauna before it.
Maybe not, but the noisy allegations have cooked up some noisy conspiracies.
“We believe Liam’s came in at 129 and Navarrete is over,’’ Rose said.
Scalegate, Wilson said, should eliminate Navarrete’s chance at winning the World Boxing Organization’s vacant belt. That, of course, would mean only he could win it.
“He shouldn’t be challenging for the title, Wilson said. “Something happened on those scales.”
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum had his own word for what happened.
“Bullshit,’’ Arum said. “No-one effed with the scales. He (Navarrete) made the weight, for Christ’s sake. Everyone else made weight and there weren’t any aberrations with the other fighters on the card.“It’s going to be a great fight. The Aussie is a talented fighter, but he has a handful in Navarrete, who I believe is something special.”
Photo Credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank via Getty Images