Fulton misses weight by 6.5 pounds; fight with Wilson canceled

Stephen Fulton Jr. weighed 139.5 pounds at Friday's official weigh-in in Sydney, missing the 133-pound catchweight limit for his fight against Liam Wilson by 6.5 pounds, according to ESPN. The cancellation marks the second consecutive fight in which Fulton, a two-division world champion from Philadelphia, has failed to make weight.

The catchweight had been raised earlier in the week at Fulton's request. The bout was originally announced as a WBA super featherweight title eliminator and was elevated to co-main event status on the Spence-Tszyu card after Jermell Charlo's bout against Koen Mazoudier was canceled when Charlo had his Australian visa denied, per ESPN.

Liam Wilson, an Australian fighter, had fulfilled his contractual obligation to make weight. Wilson's manager Glenn Jennings called the cancellation "an absolute stitch-up" and "totally unacceptable," saying there was "an expectation you will deliver" when signing a contract. Jennings said it was "a blight on the sport" and "unprofessional."

Fulton took to X to respond, saying he gave his all and had no intention of failing to make weight. He stated that "once I got to 138 I wasn't sweating any more" and that he "thought and believed I could make the weight." He acknowledged accountability for the miss.

In December, Fulton weighed in 2 pounds over the junior lightweight limit in his fight against WBC champion O'Shaquie Foster. The December bout was ultimately sanctioned as an interim lightweight title bout at 135 pounds, and Fulton lost by unanimous decision, per ESPN.