Liam Wilson vs Jorge Santana Preview September 18th, 2025
Australia’s Liam Wilson battles it out with Jorge Santana of the Dominican Republic in a 10-round junior lightweight tilt this Thursday, September 18th. The bout from Brisbane, Australia can be seen live Down Under on Kayo Sports-Australia Main Event. Wilson last fought in June when he beat Ayrton Omar Gimenez by 10-round unanimous decision to win the vacant WBO International Junior Lightweight Title. In his previous two bouts Wilson fought Youssef Dib and halted him in the eighth round of their first meeting July, 2024 and then beat him by 10-round unanimous decision in the rematch this March. Santana last saw action in June when he stopped William Encarnacion in the sixth round.
Wilson vs Santana Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Jorge Santana +700
- Liam Wilson -1200
My Pick
The 29-year-old Wilson, who fights out of Redcliffe, Australia, climbs through the ropes with a mark of 16-3 with 8 Ko’s and has boxed 125 rounds since making his pro debut in 2018. He had a solid amateur career before that as he made it to the quarterfinals of the 2018 Commonwealth Games and won the 2017 Australian National Championship and 2016 Australian Golden Gloves. He also captured the 2013 Australian Youth National Championship and fought in several other top-grade tournaments. Wilson measures just over 5-feet-9-inches tall with a 70-inch reach and carries average power in his fists as 50 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage.
However five of his past six victories have gone the distance. His power shouldn’t be taken lightly though as he nearly pulled off an upset against Emanuel Navarrete in 2023 when he dropped him in the fourth round in a shot at the vacant WBO Super Featherweight Belt. Navarrete was the recipient of a long, controversial count by referee Chris Flores as video replays reportedly clocked Navarrete has having 27 seconds to recover from the knockdown after spitting out his mouthpiece. Wilson was then stopped five rounds later. Of course, he also stopped Dib in their first meeting as well.
Since turning pro Wilson has won the vacant WBO International, IBF Youth, Australian, and WBO Asia Pacific Super Featherweight Belts. Wilson was stopped in the fifth round by Joe Noynay in July 2021 in his first shot at the WBO Asia Pacific Title after being dropped in the first and fourth rounds but stopped Noynay in the second round of their rematch eight months later. Noynay missed weight in that fight and the belt was on the line for Wilson only.
After losing to Navarrete, he bounced back with a 10-round unanimous decision over Carlos Maria Alanis for the vacant WBO International Super Featherweight Title and then beat Jackson Jon England by 10-round unanimous decision before being stopped by Oscar Valdez in the seventh round in a shot at the WBO Interim Super Featherweight Title in March, 2024.
The 24-year-old Santana owns a mark of 15-1 with 9 Ko’s and has 80 rounds of experience under his belt since turning pro in 2019 as a teenager. There’s no height and reach information for Santana so we don’t know how he measures up against Wilson in those departments. As far as power is concerned, he has enough of it to cause some damage as 60 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage but he’s gone the distance in five of his last seven outings.
The lone defeat on Santana’s record came at the hands of Luis Disla Arias by way of an eight-round majority decision in July, 2023. Santana won the vacant WBC FECARBOX Junior Lightweight Championship in 2022 via a 10-round unanimous decision over Angel Aponte and defended it by a 10-round split decision over Jairo Burgos the same year. He also has wins over Manuel Gonzalez Garcia, Marco Acevedo and Jeison Cervantes. Santana has never fought outside of the Dominican Republic and just six of his 16 opponents entered the ring with a winning record.
Prediction…
Wilson moved back up to the lightweight division against Dib last year after last fighting in the division in 2020 and is now back at junior lightweight. He’s definitely fought stiffer opposition than Santana as a pro but has been stopped in all three of his defeats. Santana has enough power to get by but it hasn’t been very evident lately. Wilson has the edge in experience here and while Santana should have his moments and put up a good fight, I’m expecting Wilson to leave the ring with another victory.
Wilson’s experience should result in a win.
Play Wilson -1200 @ BetOnline.ag
Check out my recent boxing betting picks to see my current form.
Jorge Santana betting • Liam Wilson betting