The vacant WBO tremendous featherweight title is at stake this Friday night, as Mexican banger Emanuel Navarrete strikes up in weight to tackle Australia’s inexperienced Liam Wilson at Desert Diamond Enviornment in Glendale, Arizona.
Prime Rank promote Navarrete vs Wilson and the cardboard is stay on Sky Sports activities within the UK, and ESPN+ within the USA.
Navarrete (36-1, KO30) is aiming to turn out to be a three-weight world champion, having first served as WBO tremendous bantamweight champion in December 2018 with a factors win over Isaac Dogboe, who he halted within the final spherical of a rematch.
5 defences adopted together with a rematch win over Dogboe, earlier than a transfer to featherweight the place he claimed the vacant WBO strap by dropping Ruben Villa twice on the way in which to a factors win in October 2020.
The 28-year-old defended thrice, the final a sixth spherical knockout of Eduardo Baez in August final 12 months.
‘Vaquero’ now seeks a hattrick of WBO belts, and Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs) shouldn’t show too tough an impediment to beat.
The 26-year-old has by no means fought exterior of his homeland, and his sole defeat got here in July 2021, the place he was dropped 4 instances earlier than succumbing to Joe Noynay in 5.
Wilson would get his revenge eight months later, stopping the identical opponent in two to take the WBO Asia Pacific belt.
The Queensland native was final seen in June final 12 months, outscoring Matias Carlos Adrian Rueda over ten to say the vacant WBO Worldwide title. He will get his likelihood on account of figuring extremely within the WBO rankings.
Prediction: Navarrete ought to be too sturdy on this one, with Wilson unexposed to world title stage, and prone to being harm. The Mexican ought to get the job carried out earlier than midway and declare the belt which was stripped from earlier champion, Shakur Stevenson.
Barboza battles Pedraza
Three intriguing ten rounders head the undercard.
Arnold Barboza Jr has been working his means up the rankings and he faces a stern take a look at in a brilliant light-weight assembly with two weight world champion, Jose Pedraza.
Barboza Jr (27-0, 10 KOs) has crushed the likes of light contenders, Mike Alvarado and Tony Luis and has gained Worldwide and Intercontinental WBO baubles.
The Californian has been the ten spherical distance in his final 4 outings, the final a factors win towards the unbeaten Danielito Zorrilla final July.
Pedraza (29-4-1, 14 KOs) hasn’t been in a position to pin down a world title shot at ten stone, after reigning as IBF tremendous featherweight and WBO light-weight champion beforehand.
The Puerto Rican is winless in his final two, shedding to Jose Ramirez on the playing cards, and his final struggle was a draw with Richard Commey in August 2022.
Prediction: Barboza can take the win over the space right here.
Remaining Undercard
Andres Cortes (18-0, 10 KOs) is one other to keep watch over, and the Las Vegas-based tremendous featherweight can outscore Luis Melendez (17-2, 13 KOs) over ten. Additionally at tremendous featherweight, Xavier Martinez (18-1, 12 KOs) ought to have an excessive amount of for Yohan Vasquez (25-3, 20 KOs), and may safe a factors win.
Within the sole eight rounder, Mexican tremendous light-weight Lindolfo Delgado (16-0, 13 KOs) can win early towards Clarence Sales space (21-6, 13 KOs).
In six spherical motion, Nico Ali Walsh (7-0, 5 KOs) ought to win his middleweight conflict towards Eduardo Ayala (9-2-1, 3 KOs), and at heavyweight, 2020 Olympic silver medalist, Richard Torrez Jr (4-0, 4 KOs) can see off James Bryant (6-2, 4 KOs) inside the space.
The one 4 rounder is at light-weight, the place Emiliano Vargas (2-0, 2 KOs), son of former world champion, Fernando Vargas, can cease Francisco Duque (1-1).