Emanuel Navarrete (36-1, 30 KO) is in an ideal place tonight to seize his third division world title with him going through Liam Wilson (11-1, 7 KO) in a 12 spherical combat for the vacant WBO tremendous featherweight title on the Desert Diamond Enviornment, Glendale, Arizona.
The 28-year-old Navarrete & Aussie are headlining in a Prime Rank-promoted card on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, with the primary portion of the occasion beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET.
Boxing 247 will give updates & outcomes beneath of the motion.
The undercard is excellent, with unbeaten 140-lb contender Arnold Barboza Jr (27-0, 10 KO) combating Jose Pedraza (29-4-1, 14 KO) in a ten spherical bout.
Navarrete-Wilson undercard
Emanuel Navarrete vs. Liam Wilson
Arnold Barboza Jr vs. Jose Pedraza
Richard Torrez Jr vs. James Bryant
Andres Cortes vs. Luis Melendez
Nico Ali Walsh vs. Eduardo Ayala
Lindolfo Delgado vs. Clarence Sales space
Emiliano Vargas vs. Francisco Duque
2020 Olympic heavyweight silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr (4-0, 4 KO) fights James Bryant (6-2, 4 KO) in a six spherical combat. Torrez Jr has the facility to go far within the division, however he’s received to discover a option to cope with the larger heavyweights.
Within the newbie ranks, Torrez was twice worn out by 6’6″ Bakhodir Jalolov representing Uzbekistan, who nailed him continuously with exhausting photographs whereas he was attempting to return in punching vary.
Navarrete goes to should watch out tonight along with his behavior of throwing leaping uppercuts from the skin. He’s been capable of get away with that tactic at 122 & 126 as a result of he all the time had an incredible dimension benefit over his smaller opponents, however now that he’s combating at 130, he’ll be going through a fighter his personal dimension tonight in Wilson, and he may get nailed coming in.
One can argue {that a} main motive for Navarrete’s success throughout his profession was his being greater than his opponents. That dimension benefit is now going to be a factor of the previous with him combating at tremendous featherweight.
Yeah, Navarrete will nonetheless be greater than a few of his opponents at 130, however a lot of them would be the identical dimension, if not greater. They’ll be capable of attain Navarrete with their photographs and probably damage him.
He’s been combating weaker punchers, and now he’ll be going through guys with extra energy, the identical dimension as him, who can take his photographs and return hearth.
Regardless of successful titles in two weight lessons, stardom has eluded Navarrete, and a giant motive for that’s that he’s not confronted the elite in any of the divisions in that he’s captured world titles.
When Navarrete fought at tremendous bantamweight, it was lifeless weight class then, with just about no notable names for him to combat.
At featherweight, Navarrete discovered himself ignored by the highest fighters, Josh Warrington, Leigh Wooden, Leo Santa Cruz, Rey Vargas, Gary Russell Jr, Mark Magsayo, and Brandon Figueroa.
Now that Navarrete is shifting as much as seize the vacant WBO 130-lb title, he’ll probably be matched towards Oscar Valdez later this 12 months in a combat that may seize a variety of consideration.
If Navarrete defeats Valdez, that may significantly assist increase his profile within the sport and maybe lead to him being placed on the pound-for-pound checklist.