The Kiwi couldn't quite match the heights of his efforts on the Gold Coast - efforts he would exceed while finishing fifth at last year's Olympics - and was pipped by Nooh Dastgir Butt at the NEC in Birmingham today.
Butt won bronze in 2018, finishing 8kg behind Liti's Games-record total of 403kg, but the Pakistani sent a statement tonight by setting his initial weights beyond Liti's - and proceeding to lift them.
While Liti managed a combined weight of 394kg, Butt went beyond Liti in both the snatch and clean and jerk to record a total of 405kg.
Liti might have had reason to be disappointed with his performance in the snatch, even though he ended that portion of the competition in second place and only 3kg off the lead.
His best lift of 170kg - after finishing with a no lift at 174kg - was down on both the 174kg he managed four years ago on the Gold Coast and the 178kg he recorded last year in Tokyo.
Butt, though, was the only man capable of edging the Kiwi, succeeding with 173kg and almost increasing Liti's degree of difficulty before being awarded a no lift on his final attempt of 175kg.
When Liti was unable to complete his final clean and jerk attempt of 232kg, meaning 224kg was the best he could muster, the gold went to Butt.
Liti's status as a crowd favourite was clear when he was introduced before the competition at the NEC, returning the love shown by his new fans.
He has no problem at all with his first attempt of 166kg in the snatch, nodding his head in satisfaction with the bar high in the air.
But Liti's chief rival for gold then sent out an early statement of his own, Butt putting 170kg on the bar and proceeding to complete the lift with seeming ease.
Liti responded with his second attempt, matching that mark and giving another nod, before Butt upped the ante with 173kg, albeit with much more exertion on this occasion.
That lift stood only after a review, leaving Liti with one final attempt to edge in front after the snatch. Liti once more fired up the crowd before stepping to the platform but the Kiwi never managed to rise from crouch.
After Butt barely failed at his final effort of 174kg, that left the Pakistani with a 3kg edge heading into the clean and jerk.
Liti and Butt waited for most of the field to complete their three attempts before stepping on the platform in the second half of the competition, and the Kiwi lifted 218kg without too many problems on his first effort.
It was a similar story on his second attempt of 224kg, yet Butt remained waiting in the wings, and by succeeding with his first attempt of 232kg, he was in the box seat for gold.
Liti had to succeed with his last lift of 232kg to keep alive the competition, but the Kiwi never looked likely, confirming his silver.
