(Feb. 10, 2023) – Emanuel “El Vaquero” Navarrete is staying at 130 pounds.
 
The newly crowned three-division world champion has vacated his WBO featherweight title in order to continue his campaign at junior lightweight. Navarrete captured the WBO 130-pound crown by defeating Liam Wilson via ninth-round technical knockout last week at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. 
 
Navarrete said, “After closely analyzing the situation with my team, we have decided to keep the WBO junior lightweight title. I feel very happy with the three title defenses that I made at featherweight, but I am also convinced that my future is now at junior lightweight. We are going after the big fights at 130.”
 
“I’m grateful for the support that I have always received from my promoter, Top Rank, and the WBO. I will now proudly carry and defend my junior lightweight belt.”
 
The April 1 showdown between Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez and Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe, initially for the interim title at 126 pounds, will now fill the vacancy left by Navarrete atop an ESPN+-streamed card at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa. Ramirez, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, faces his toughest test to date in his first world title opportunity, while the always rugged Dogboe will attempt to earn a belt in a second weight class. 

GLENDALE, AZ – Some Mexican history was the plan. The plan survived.

So did Emanuel  Navarrete.

Navarrete was forced to come back from the edge of losing Friday night to an unlikely Australian, LIam Wilson, a determined young fighter from Brisbane who was given no chance on either side of the equator.

Wilson arrived in Arizona after a training camp that included stops in Washington DC and London. He had punched his passport, all in an attempt to punch out the favored and feared Navarette. Wilson promised to win. He wasn’t kidding, but he couldn’t hold off Navarette, who regained his focus and ferocity just in time to win a vacant junior-lightweight title.

Navarrete (37-1, 31 KOs) did it in a wild ninth round. He moved forward, threw punches as if he was motivated  by a mix of desperation and determination. For Wilson, a big right hand from Navarrete was the beginning of the end. It dropped Wilson, who collapsed onto the canvas in a thud that echoed throughout Desert Diamond Arena.

Wilson got to his feet. But his eyes were dazed and his defenses were down. Referee Chris Flores stopped it at 1:57 of the ninth. Flores ended it just as Wilson’s corner man was climbing up the steps. He was about to throw in the towel.

The crowd went wild. It was a celebration. It was also an expression of relief. Five rounds earlier, it looked as if Navarrete was about to lose. He was on the canvas in the fourth looking tired and beaten.

“But it was that Mexican spirit that never lets me down,” said Navarrete, who stormed back and fulfilled his goal of putting his name in Mexican history as the country’s 10th boxer to win a world title at a third weight.  “The satisfaction of winning like this is enormous. I think that I needed this test in order to be able to say my career is more complete. 

“Now that I know that I can hit the canvas and get back up and keep fighting, I’m more than happy because I know that I can continue forward.”

 The crowd went silent in the fourth when the long-armed Navarette fell to the canvas and tumbled, head over heels, like a bowl full of cooked spaghetti. He was clearly hurt after Wilson (11-2, 7 KOs) landed two rights and a huge left.

“I just wanted to be [patient,” said Wilson, who also thanked Arizona after his gutsy performance.

Navarrete could also thank his good fortune. He was lucky. Had Wilson’s punches landed earlier the round, he might have been finished, then and there. He also was helped by Flores, who took several seconds to pick his mouth piece off the canvas and put it back in his mouth. Navarrete’s trip to the canvas happened with about 42 seconds left in the fourth. There wasn’t enough time left for Wilson to finish the job. Thanks in part to Flores, there also was just enough time for Navarrete to escape

To survive. 

Arnold Barboza moves closer to title shot with solid decision

Arnold Barboza Jr. has been searching for a fight that would finally secure him a shot at a world title.

The search has been frustrating. Often futile.

But Barboza )28-0, 10 KOs) appeared to take a significant step toward completing the mission. The junior-welterweight from Southern California scored a solid victory over the decorated Jose Pedraza (29-5-1, 14 KOs), a former two-time champ, in the final fight before ESPN’s main event between Emanuel Navarrete and Liam Wilson Friday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale AZ.

The win — by unanimous decision – allowed Barboza to state his case.  He was asked  if he was closer to a world title.

“Of course,” he said, after winning 96-94, 97-93, 96-94 on the cards. 

A possibility is Regis Prograis, the WBC champion.

“We’ll see what happens,” Barboza said. “But I feel like I’ve paid my dues.”

In beating Pedraza, the unbeaten Barboza becomes a lot harder to ignore. Or duck. Barboza controlled most of the 10 rounds against the skilled Pedraza, a Puerto Rican who returned to an arena where he upset Raymundo Beltran in August 2018. Pedraza had his moments, but he never could completely elude a sharp right hand that landed again. And again. 

Punching Power: Richard Torrez Jr. delvers it for quick stoppage

He reads Plato. He punches with power.

The puncher-philosopher, Richrd Torrez Jr., delivered the power suddenly and definitively on the Navarrete-Wilson undercard Friday at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, AZ.

Torrez (5-0 5KOs), a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, flashed heavyweight credentials, driving James Bryant (6-3, 4 KOs) into the ropes with an uppercut-right hand combo in the closing seconds of the first round

“From the knuckles through the hand, it was a solid shot,” said Torrez, who reads the great philosophers when he isn’t in the gym.

Bryant, of Reading PA, never recovered. He walked to his corner on unsteady feet. His trainer took one look at him and ended it before the bell for the second round ever sounded

Unbeaten Andre Cortes wins shutout

There were boos from restless fans. They wanted more.

Las Vegas junior-lightweight Andres Cortes heard them. And delivered.

Cortes (19-0, 10 KOs) injected some energy into an otherwise dull bout with aggressiveness that woke up the crowd and stunned Luis Melendez (17-3, 13 KOs) in the last fight before the main ESPN telecast of Navarrete-Wilson featured card at Desert Diamond Arena.

The sudden intensity from Cortes was enough for him to score a runaway decision over the Puerto Rican. He won it in a shutout, 100-90 on all three scorecards

Unknown Phoenix fighter gets up from knockdown, tests Ali Walsh late in loss 

It’s one of boxing’s majestic names. It comes with crushing expectations. It can intimidate, both the man who has it and the man who faces it. But it didn’t scare or stop Eduardo Ayala, an unknown Phoenix middleweight who got up from a knockdown and went on to engage in a hard-fought battle with Nico Ali Walsh, Muhammad Ali’s grandson.

Ayala told a couple of Phoenix sportswriters before the bout Friday that he wasn’t fighting a name. He was just another guy, another fighter, Ayala said. Ali Walsh looked as if he might have been a little bit more than just that in the second round. A thundering left hook put Ayala flat on the canvas.. 

But he recovered, then endured a succession of shots from the Las Vegas middleweight who inherited the greatest expectations. Ayala would not go away. He wouldn’t win either. Ali Walsh (8-0, 5 KOs) won a unanimous decision (59-54, 60-53, 59-54), one that was all but assured with the early knockdown.

But Ayala (9-3-1, 3 KOs) won over the crowd in the third fight on the Navarrete-Wilson card at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale AZ. As both fighters hugged after the sixth and final round, fans who had chanted the familiar “Ali.Ali” were chanting “Ayala, Ayala.”  

Lindolfo Delgado stays unbeaten, dominates in decision win

Mexican junior-welterweight Lindolfo Delgado employed defense, careful footwork and power in the second bout on an an ESPN-televised card featuring Emanuel Navarrete-Liam Wilson Friday night at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz.,

 It was a triple-edged attack that proved to be  too much for Clarence Booth of Saint Petersburg, Fla.

Delgado (17-0, 13 KOs), who had trainer Robert Garcia in his corner, repeatedly landed crisp counters that echoed through the arena and backed Booth (21-7, 13 KOs) into the ropes, onto the canvas for an eighth-round knockdown and – in the end — into defeat. Delgado won on all three cards, a decision, one-sided and unanimous.

  •  Emanuel Navarrete 129.2 lbs. vs. Liam Wilson 126.3 lbs
(Vacant WBO Junior Lightweight Title — 12 Rounds)

   •   Arnold Barboza Jr. 139.2 lbs vs. Jose Pedraza 138.7 lbs
(Barboza’s WBO Intercontinental Title — 10 Rounds)

•  Richard Torrez Jr. 222.2 lbs vs. James Bryant 253.4 lbs
 (Heavyweight — 6 Rounds)

(ESPN+, 7:15 p.m. ET/4:15 p.m. PT)

•    Andres Cortes 131.2 lbs vs. Luis Melendez 130.6 lbs
 (Junior Lightweight— 10 Rounds)

•  Nico Ali Walsh 159.8 lbs vs. Eduardo Ayala 160.9 lbs
 (Middleweight — 6 Rounds)

•   Lindolfo Delgado 142.1 lbs vs. Clarence Booth 142.4 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

•    Emiliano Fernando Vargas 133.4 lbs vs. Francisco Duque 135.4 lbs
 (Lightweight — 4 Rounds)

By Norm Frauenheim –

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Fighters often talk about their journey. Liam Wilson does, too, but his journey has been more than a metaphor. It’s about the miles.

Wilson has crossed the Pacific once and Atlantic twice. His training camp started at home in Australia, then moved to Washington DC, then to London, back to DC and then finally to a Phoenix suburb at an arena next door to where the Super Bowl will be staged in about 10 days.

“A ring is the same everywhere,’’ Wilson said Wednesday without a hint of jet lag.

It is.

But Wilson’s path to this one at Desert Diamond Arena crisscrossed time zones and continents, all in an attempt to upset Emanuel Navarrete, who hasn’t been beaten anywhere in more than a decade.

It started with a training camp at home in Brisbane. It continued in Washington DC for five weeks. Then, there were about 10 days in London, followed by a couple of more weeks in DC and now Arizona.

Let’s just say Liam Wilson does the road work. London wasn’t on the original itinerary. But a visa issue, he said, forced him across the pond. The issue was resolved, he says. He’s got the visa and now he intends to get a belt, the World Boxing Organization’s vacant junior-lightweight version in an ESPN fight this Friday (7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. PT).  

Oddsmakers don’t like his chances. Even at Aussie books, he’s down and under at about 8 1/2-to-1. In the US and UK, the odds are even more one-sided, mostly because few have seen him fight. He’s fighting for the first time in the US. Navarrete was asked Wednesday what he knew about the Aussie.

“Not much,’’ said Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs), still a featherweight champion who had initially planned to fight Oscar Valdez Jr. in his first bout at 130 pounds.

But Valdez, a former Mexican Olympian who went to school in Tucson, withdrew because of an undisclosed injury. Enter Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs), who already had his bags packed in anticipation of an American debut against Archie Sharp on the Tim Tszyu-Jermell Charlo card on Jan 28 in Las Vegas. But that date was scuttled when Charlo announced he had broken his left hand.

It all added up to opportunity for Wilson, who has shown he’s willing to go an extra mile. The odds might suggest he’s nothing more than lost baggage against Navarrete, already well-known in a boxing market dominated by Mexican-American and Mexican fans. They know who he is. Navarrete has already appeared in Arizona, blowing away Isaac Dogboe in Tucson in a May 2019 rematch.

It’s the unknown, however, that can often turn into an advantage. Navarrete concedes he won’t know much about Wilson at opening bell. But Dogboe didn’t know much about Navarrete when the Mexico City fighter surprised him, taking his junior-featherweight title in a unanimous decision in December 2019 in New York in their first fight.

Wilson, perhaps, has traveled too far not to learn everything he can about his feared foe, who still hopes for a bout against Valdez.

In part, he went to Washington DC to train because of Dogboe. The entertaining Dogboe, who calls himself The Royal Storm, has been training in a DC gym. Wilson decided to train there just to pick his brain about what to expect from Navarrete. Dogboe’s only two loses are to Navarrete, a two-division champion who hopes to become only the 10^th Mexican to win a world title at a  third weight

“Dogboe told me he’s dangerous,’’ said Wilson, who told his late dad that he would one day win a world title. “He told me to watch out for his lead hand and upper cut. He’s unorthodox. That’s what makes him dangerous.

“But I’m here to win. I haven’ done it yet. But I’m here, on my own journey.’’

A journey he promises to win.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (Feb. 1, 2023) — The Top Rank on ESPN 2023 schedule continues with a star-studded bill FRIDAY evening at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

The main event is a battle for the vacant WBO junior lightweight world title, as Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs) seeks to become a three-weight world champion against Australian upstart Liam Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs).

The 10-round junior welterweight co-feature sees former two-weight world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (29-4-1, 14 KOs) attempt to end the unbeaten run of top contender Arnold Barboza Jr. (27-0, 10 KOs). In the ESPN-televised opener, heavyweight U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. (4-0, 4 KOs) battles James Bryant (6-2, 4 KOs) in a six-rounder.

Navarrete-Wilson, Barboza-Pedraza, and Torrez-Bryant will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m ET/7 p.m. PT. 

The undercard — streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT — features middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (7-0, 5 KOs) against Phoenix native Eduardo Ayala (9-2-1, 3 KOs) in a six-rounder and lightweight phenom Emiliano Fernando Vargas (2-0, 2 KOs) against Francisco Duque (1-1) in a four-rounder.

At Wednesday’s press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.

Emanuel Navarrete

“For me and my team, being a three-division world champion will be the culmination of yet another goal in my career. We know that it won’t be easy. But, by doing that, I’ll feel that I have done something good in my career, and I’ll be satisfied with what I have achieved in my 10 years as a professional boxer.”

“My team and my corner have been fundamental to my development. They are people who are very humble. My family is very humble and reserved. More than being humble, it’s a way of life. I appreciate that part of me, and I always try to be a better person.”

“Liam Wilson comes with a strong desire to win the world title. And that’s why I’ve been focused on him 100 percent.”

Liam Wilson

“This is a chance to fulfill my dream and become a world champion. I’ve done 17 years of hard work for this moment. I’ve put in a lot of hard work. I’ve fought whoever they’ve put in front of me. I’m ready for Friday night.”

“I’ve taken one hard fight after another. Against Matias Rueda, I fought with one hand. I broke my hand midway through the fight. But I showed my resilience. The fight proved to myself, my country and the world that I have what it takes to become world champion and that I have to be in those fights.”

“This means everything. This is what me, my team, my promoter, my manager and my trainers have worked for. We’ve taken the risks and challenges, and I know that on fight night I have a tough fight ahead of me. Navarrete is a great champion, but I do plan on giving him the fight of his life. I’m going to win.”

Arnold Barboza Jr.

“We’ve been training really hard. We have a very tough fight in front of us. We are not looking past this fight. For this camp, we went back to the drawing board. We’ve seen our mistakes. We’ve been training hard, and we’re ready.”

“This is no question the biggest test of my career. We have nothing but respect for Pedraza and everything he’s done. We’re looking forward to this fight. It’s going to be a great fight. I’m looking forward to testing myself, and it’s going to bring out the best of me.”
 
“We trained at high altitude at Big Bear. Camp started there. My father did a great job of putting a plan together and bringing in the sparring partners that we needed. We’re ready to go.”

Jose Pedraza

“Barboza is a great boxer. He is an elite boxer. By beating him, I will position myself towards a world title opportunity.”
 
“What is most important to me is to be able to create new fans, international fans as well. Wherever you go, those fans will recognize you and admire you. That makes one feel great. When it comes to my family, my family is everything. The first thing I do after finishing a fight is to be with my family.”
 
“I’m the kind of boxer who is always underestimated, but that’s a motivation to shut mouths.”

Richard Torrez Jr.

“I switched it up a little bit. I have some really good coaches at the Olympic training center. Billy Walsh, who is an Olympic head coach, and my dad. They communicate really well. There’s nothing like being up in the altitude, getting some training with a lot of elite guys. Being able to be there and get conditioned was really great.”

Nico Ali Walsh

“It’s tough to say who is my toughest opponent because everyone shows up differently come fight night. So, we will see. I don’t know if the crowd will be on his side. People like you when you’re winning. So, if you’re doing well, then the crowd will cheer for you.”

“Boxing is tough. It’s a love-hate relationship because obviously I love boxing. I see the outcomes of my work and it’s great. But it’s very tough. It’s not fun going through training camp. That kind of stuff is not fun. But the fight days make it worth it, and that’s what I’m looking forward to.”

Eduardo Ayala

“I really thought this would be at Madison Square Garden or Las Vegas. But when they told me it was going to be in [my home state of] Arizona, a weight was lifted off my shoulders. It’s just amazing being here.”
 
“I look at this like it’s just my next fight on my road. The ‘Ali’ last name is definitely a plus. It’s the fight of my life. In boxing, anything can change with just one fight. Regardless, it is a great last name, but I make things so that it has less pressure on me.”
 
Emiliano Fernando Vargas

“I’m blessed to be here. This is another opportunity to showcase my skills. I’m excited. There’s nothing like Arizona fights. I know my father fought down here. Arizona has amazing fans, so I can’t wait to feel that emotion. I’m pumped and ready to go. I’m ready for another statement victory.”

Friday, February 3

 ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)

 
Emanuel Navarrete vs. Liam Wilson, 12 rounds, Vacant WBO Junior Lightweight World Title

Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. Jose Pedraza, 10 rounds, Barboza’s WBO Intercontinental Junior Welterweight Title

Richard Torrez Jr. vs. James Bryant, 6 rounds, Heavyweight

ESPN+ (6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT)

Andres Cortes vs. Luis Melendez, 10 rounds, Junior Lightweight

Xavier Martinez vs. Yohan Vasquez, 10 rounds, Junior Lightweight

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN presented by AutoZone:Navarrete vs. Wilson will be live this Friday, February 3 at 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+. The event takes place at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

The main event features Mexican star Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete and Australian contender Liam Wilson fighting for the vacant WBO junior lightweight world title. Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs) is one of the sport’s premier offensive fighters and is looking to become a three-division world champion as he battles Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs) the No. 3 junior lightweight contender. Wilson has never fought outside his home country but is coming to the U.S. in hopes of a major upset.
 
In the 10-round junior welterweight co-feature, Arnold Barboza, Jr.  (27-0, 10 KOs) hopes to earn a career-best victory against Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (29-4-1, 14 KOs), a former two-weight world champion.

In a six-round heavyweight special feature, Richard Torrez Jr. (4-0, 4 KOs), who captured a silver medal for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics, will battle James Bryant (6-2, 4 KOs).

The undercard action includes many of Top Rank’s burgeoning talents such as Andres “Savage” Cortes (18-0, 10 KOs) taking on Puerto Rican knockout puncher Luis Melendez (17-2, 13 KOs) in a junior lightweight tilt, and undefeated middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (7-0, 5 KOs), grandson of Muhammad Ali, taking on Eduardo Ayala (9-2-1, 3 KOs) in a six-rounder. In a four-round lightweight attraction, Emiliano Fernando Vargas (2-0, 2 KOs), son of former junior middleweight champion Fernando Vargas, will face Francisco Duque (1-1).

ESPN’s Joe Tessitore will call the action ringside with Hall of Famers Andre Ward and Timothy Bradley, Jr. as analysts; Mark Kriegel and Bernardo Osuna will serve as reporters.

ESPN+, ESPN App Boxing Content: Live and Upcoming, On Demand, Studio Shows, Archives

• Top Rank: Real TimeGo all-access with top fighters throughout fight week as they work their way to fight night with Real Times’s Navarrete vs. Wilson available daily throughout fight week.
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• Who Do U Fight 4?Get to know the next generation of Top Rank stars and learn what drives them

ESPN.com

• Out Thursday: Coppinger’s mailbag– What can we expect from Navarrete this week?

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Saturday, February 3 (All Times ET)

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LAS VEGAS, NV (January 30, 2023) – Undefeated rising star Andres Cortes (17-0, 11 KOs), fresh off a string of impressive wins in the super featherweight division, will face his most challenging opponent when he steps in the ring with Luis Melendez (17-2, 13 KOs), from Miami by way of Puerto Rico.

Cortes vs. Melendez, a 10-round bout, will take place at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, February 3, on the highly anticipated Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete vs Liam Wilson card promoted by Top Rank. Cortes vs. Melendez will be final bout on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. Main event card starts at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on ESPN and ESPN

Deportes.

Cortes, a Las Vegas native, has been making waves in the super featherweight division with his aggressive style and knockout power. His opponent, Melendez, a seasoned veteran with heavy hands, will pose a significant challenge for the young fighter.

“I’m excited for this opportunity to showcase my skills against a seasoned fighter like Melendez,” said Cortes. “He’s a young hungry fighter with a lot of heart. He’s never been stopped and has nothing to lose. I believe that I have what it takes to come out on top, and I’m ready to prove it to the world.”

With a victory, Cortez, having already made a name for himself, has intentions to take on all the big names in the division. He has quickly climbed the ranks in the super featherweight division and is now ready to take on the top contenders.

“I’ve been working hard and improving with every fight,” said Cortes. “My main focus is on Melendez, its not going to be an easy fight, but I’m coming out victorious. I’m ready to take on the best in the division and prove that I belong among the elite fighters. I’m not afraid of anyone, I believe in my abilities, and I know that I can beat any fighter in the division.”

“We are on a mission to fight the best in the world,” said Luis Cortes, manager, brother and trainer of Andres. “We sought to replace Valdez for the Navarrete fight, but his team chose the easier unknown Australian guy. Emanuel Navarrete, Oscar Valdez, Shakur Stevenson, or any other big name, we want them all in 2023. Melendez is going to be a tough fight and that is where our focus is. But I want to let it be known that we feel we are ready for anyone in the division.”

This fight promises to be an action-packed and thrilling encounter between two fighters looking to make a statement in the division. With both fighters known for their power and determination, the Desert Diamond Arena is sure to be electric with energy.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (Dec. 20, 2022) — A new junior lightweight king will be crowned in the desert.

Mexican star Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete and Australian contender Liam Wilson will fight for the vacant WBO junior lightweight world title Friday, Feb. 3, at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Navarrete, the reigning WBO featherweight world champion, hopes to become the 10th Mexican-born boxer to win world titles in three weight divisions.

Junior welterweight contenders collide in the 10-round co-feature as Arnold Barboza Jr. hopes to earn a career-best victory against Jose “Sniper” Pedraza, a former two-weight world champion from Cidra, Puerto Rico. 

Navarrete-Wilson, Pedraza-Barboza, and the return of U.S. Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. in a six-round heavyweight special feature will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $25 go on sale Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 11 a.m. PST / 12 p.m. MST and can be purchased via Ticketmaster.com.

Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs), from San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico, won the WBO junior featherweight crown from Isaac Dogboe in December 2018 and made five defenses of that title in a nine-month span. He out-hustled Ruben Villa to win the vacant WBO featherweight strap in October 2020 and has since defended that title three times. Navarrete is one of the sport’s premier offensive fighters, an aggressor who wings punches from all angles. In his October 2021 title defense over Joet Gonzalez, he threw 979 punches over 12 rounds, including 104 in the 12th round. He returned to the ring in August, rebounding from a slow start to knock out countryman Eduardo Baez with a body shot in the sixth round. The Baez victory marked Navarrete’s 31st consecutive victory dating back to 2012.

“This is my opportunity to become a three-division world champion. I am going for that crown,” Navarrete said. “Liam Wilson is a good fighter, but this is my moment, and everyone will see a much more complete ‘Vaquero’ Navarrete that has a lot of thirst for victory. My ideal weight is 130 pounds, and that will be demonstrated on February 3rd when I become world champion for Mexico and San Juan Zitlaltepec. Wilson will not get in the way of my dream.”

Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs), from Caboolture, Australia, is the WBO No. 3 junior contender. He has never fought away from his home country, but he will take the nearly 8,000-mile journey hoping to spring a major upset. Wilson stepped up to fight Navarrete after Oscar Valdez suffered a training injury and enters the fight with momentum on his side. After a stunning fifth-round TKO loss to Filipino contender Joe Noynay in July 2021, Wilson gained revenge in March with a second-round knockout courtesy of his “left hook from hell.” He kept the momentum going in June with a 10-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Matias Rueda.

Wilson said, “He’s a champion, a warrior, and a household name around the world, but now it’s my time. I’m coming to upset the parade. I’ve waited my entire life for this moment, and I won’t let it slip because it means more to me. I swore an oath to my father on his deathbed that I would one day win a world title for him. I’m looking forward to fulfilling this promise on February 3^rd.”

Barboza (27-0, 10 KOs), from South El Monte, California, is ranked in the top 10 by the WBC and WBO. The longtime contender turned pro in 2013 and has steadily climbed up the rankings with victories over Mike Alvarado, Alex Saucedo, and Antonio Moran. In July, Barboza returned from an 11-month layoff to snatch the ‘0’ from Danielito Zorrilla in a crowd-pleasing 10-round main event.

Barboza said, “It’s a big card, and there will be a lot of eyes on us. Pedraza is a formidable opponent. He’s my toughest to date and has only lost to the very best. I’m looking forward to the challenge. At this point, anyone I face is standing in the way of my goal, which is to win a world title. I am going to make a big statement on February 3rd.”

Pedraza (29-4-1, 14 KOs) ruled the junior lightweight and lightweight divisions before moving up to the junior welterweight ranks in 2019. He is 3-2-1 as a junior welterweight, having shared the ring with many of the division’s most notable names. In March, he pushed former unified champion Jose Ramirez 12 rounds before dropping a tight unanimous decision. Less than six months later, he battled former lightweight champion Richard Commey to a draw in a fight most observers believe Pedraza did enough to edge out. Pedraza had a Madison Square Garden main event against Teofimo Lopez scheduled for December 10th, but Pedraza withdrew with a non-COVID viral infection. The 33-year-old understands a victory over Barboza moves him closer to a world title opportunity.

Pedraza said, “I have recovered completely from the illness that obligated me to pull out of my fight with Teofimo Lopez. Right now, I feel 100 percent, and I know Arnold Barboza Jr. is one of the best fighters in the division. I’m sure this will be a great fight where I will reaffirm my level as an elite fighter at 140 pounds.”

Torrez (4-0, 4 KOs), from Tulare, California, captured an Olympic silver medal in Tokyo and turned pro under the Top Rank banner in March. A 6’2, 230-pound southpaw, Torrez has never been extended past the third round in his young career. In October, he shined at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, thrilling the New York City fans with a third-round stoppage over Ahmed Hefny. 

Undercard bouts — streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ — include many of Top Rank’s burgeoning young talents.

Las Vegas product Andres “Savage” Cortes (18-0, 10 KOs) takes on Puerto Rican knockout puncher Luis Melendez (17-2, 13 KOs) in a crossroads junior lightweight tilt scheduled for 10 rounds. Cortes, a former U.S. amateur standout, notched a near-shutout over Abraham Montoya in his last outing.

Middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (7-0, 5 KOs), grandson of “The Greatest,” looks to make it 8-0 against Phoenix-based spoiler Eduardo Ayala (9-2-1, 3 KOs) in a six-rounder. This is the 2023 debut for Ali Walsh, who went 4-0 with three knockouts in 2022.

Lightweight sensation Emiliano Fernando Vargas (2-0, 2 KOs), son of former junior middleweight world champion Fernando Vargas, returns in a four-rounder against an opponent to be named. Vargas made his Top Rank debut in November and knocked out Julio Martinez in the second round with a highlight-reel left hook.

Sacramento native Xavier Martinez (18-1, 12 KOs) seeks his second straight ‘W’ in a 10-rounder at junior lightweight against an opponent to be named.

Junior welterweight Lindolfo Delgado (16-0, 13 KOs), a 2016 Mexican Olympian, steps up against Clarence Booth (21-6, 13 KOs) in an eight-rounder. In August, Delgado authored a career-best victory over then-unbeaten prospect Omar Aguilar. The eight-round shootout ranked among the year’s best action fights.

By Norm Frauenheim –

Oscar Valdez Jr., another Son of Sonora, is planning to return to the desert he calls home in a fight to regain a title after a one-sided loss to Shakur Stevenson.

Valdez is expected to face Emanuel Navarrete on Feb. 3 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale AZ where another Son of Sonora, Juan Francisco Estrada, won a majority decision over Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez in a compelling SuperFly trilogy last Saturday.

As of Thursday, the fight’s site and date were not official, despite media reports, including one from ESPN, which will televise the junior lightweight bout. It was not listed on the Desert Diamond’s event calendar.

However, it was no secret throughout events surrounding Estrada-Chocolatito 3 that Valdez-Navarrete was probably headed to the former National Hockey League arena on the west-side of Phoenix.

Valdez father, Oscar Valdez Sr., said his son was in Hermosillo training in anticipation of a February fight with Navarrete. Valdez’ father was in Glendale to work as a second in the corner for flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez’ majority decision over Samuel Carmona on the Estrada-Chocolatito 3 undercard.  

It looks as if boxing is moving in since the NHL’s Coyotes moved out.

Unbeaten You-Tuber Jake Paul beat mixed-martial arts legend-turned-boxer Anderson Silva there on Oct. 29.

Super-middleweight contender David Benavidez, another Son of Sonora, blew out David Lemieux there on May 21.

Emerging flyweight/SuperFly star Jesse “Bam” Rodriquez, of San Antonio, won his first world title there, taking the World Boxing Council’s 115-pound belt last Feb. 5 with a unanimous decision over Carlos Cuadras.

Valdez (30-1, 23 KOs), who was born in Nogales in the Mexican state of Sonora and went to school in Tucson, has fought in Phoenix twice. The former featherweight champion is wildly popular in southern Arizona. 

Valdez, knocked down in a unanimous decision loss to Stevenson in April, scored a debatable decision over Brazilian Robson Conceicao on Sept. 10, 2021 at Casino del Sol, south of Tucson. 

Fans jammed an outdoor arena on a hot Sonoran night in late summer.

They were there, cheering Valdez’ every move, despite a noisy PED controversy. The bout was preceded by news that Valdez had tested positive weeks before the bout.

The crowd didn’t care, and that crowd is expected to follow him to Glendale in an intriguing bout for a vacant title against fellow Mexican Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs), a former 122-pound and 126-pound champion who will fight at 130 for the first time.

Emanuel Navarrete retained the WBO Featherweight Title with a sixth round stoppage over Eduardo Baez at The Pechanga Sports Arena in San Diego.

In round six, Navarrete landed a perfect left hook to the side that sent Baez down on delayed reaction and the fight was over at 1:05.

Navarrete, 125.8 lbs of Mexico is 36-1 with 30 knockouts. Baez, 125.8 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is 21-3-2.

“I expected a fight like this. I never underestimated Eduardo Baez. I knew that he was an excellent fighter and the fact that he hit pretty hard. It was a lot more complicated than I anticipated. But then came that shot, and I was able to finish him,” Navarrete said. “That’s a very Mexican punch. It comes with my blood. And you can see, I don’t throw a perfect left hook like you’re used to seeing. But this one came out perfect for me. And you saw the result because not many guys can take that shot.”

Santillan Decisions Luna

Giovani Santillan remained undefeated won a 10-round unanimous decision over Julio Luna in a welterweight contest.

In round two, Santillan was cut along the right side of his forehead. Santillan fought through a cut over his right eye. It was a tough fight throughout that saw Santillan push the action.

Santillan landed 188 of 554 punches; Luna was 210 of 679.

Santillan, 147.4 lbs of San Diego, CA won by scores of 100-90 twice and 96-94 and is now 30-0. Luna, 147.4 of Gomez Palcios, MEX is 19-1-2.

“It was a lot tougher than I expected. Luna gave me a great fight, and I am just thankful for the opportunity to fight once again in my hometown,” Santillan said.

Nico Ali Walsh Stops Sanchez in 2 Rounds of Rematch

Nico Ali Walsh remained undefeated by stopping Reyes Sanchez in the second round of their four-round middleweight rematch.

In round two, Ali Walsh landed a hard left hook to the body that put Sanchez down for the 10-count at 2:45.

Ali Walsh, 157.8 lbs of Las Vegas, NV is 6-0 with five knockouts. Sanchez, 157.3 lbs of Topeka, KS is 7-3.

The fight was a rematch of a bout that saw Ali Walsh win a majority decision on December 11, 2021.

“I feel amazing. This was a special win because it was a rematch. It’s everything I’ve been working towards. My hard work is now showing in the ring. I want everyone to see that it’s a new me,” Ali Walsh said. “It was so gratifying. Timothy Bradley called it in the fighter meetings yesterday. It was a beautiful shot. It was the shot I was looking for. It was the shot I was dreaming about, and it happened because I worked so hard for it.”

In a battle of undefeated junior welterweights, Lindolfo Delgado won an eight-round unanimous decision over Omar Aguilar.

In round one, Aguilar began to bleed from his nose.

Delgado, 142 lbs of Linares, MEX won by scores of 79-73 twice and 77-75 and is now 16-0. Aguilar, 142 lbs of Ensanada, MEX is 24-1.

Austin Brooks remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Oliver Gallcia in a junior lightweight bout.

In round one, Brooks dropped Galicia with a left.

Brooks, 129.4 lbs of San Diego, CA won by scores of 40-35 on all cards and is now 8-0. Gallcia, 128.6 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is now 5-1-1.

Xavier Martinez stopped gritty Alejandro Guerrero in round five of a scheduled eight-round junior lightweight bout.

Martinez landed a lot of power shots through four-plus rounds, and in round five, Martinez landed several flush blows which included some booming right hands that forced a referee stoppage at 2:57.

Martinez, 131.6 lbs of Sacramento, CA is now 18-1 with 12 knockouts. Guerrero, 131.8 lbs of Houston, TX is 12-3.

Miguel Contreras won a eight-round unanimous decision over Josec Ruiz in a lightweight contest.

Contreras, 135.4 lbs of Bakersfield, CA won by scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73 and is now 12-1-1. Ruiz, 135.4 lbs of Honduras is 21-7-3.

Luis Alberto Lopez stopped Yeison Vargas in round two of a scheduled eight-round featherweight bout.

In round two, Lopez Lopez dropped Vargas with a left hook to the body for the 10-count at 1:24

Antonio Mireles shook off a first round knockdown to come back and stop Kaleel Carter in round two of their four-round heavyweight bout.

In round Charles dropped Mireles with a hard combination. In round two, Mireles landed a vicious combination that spun Carter around and the bout was stopped at 1:52.

Mireles, 266 lbs of Des Moines, IA is now 5-0 with five knockouts. Carter, 237 lbs of Bellflower, CA is 2-2.

•  Emanuel Navarrete 125.8 vs. Eduardo Baez 125.8
(Navarrete’s WBO Featherweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
Judges: Lou Moret, Pat Russell and Zachary Young
Referee: Jack Reiss

•   Giovani Santilan 147.4 lbs vs. Julio Luna 147.4 lbs 
(Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

•   Nico Ali Walsh 157.8 lbs vs. Reyes Sanchez 157.2 lbs 
(Middleweight — 4 Rounds)

(ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT)

   •   Austin Brooks 129.4 lbs vs. Oliver Galicia 128.6 lbs
 (Junior Lightweight — 6/4 Rounds)

   •   Lindolfo Delgado 142 lbs vs. Omar Aguilar 142 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

   •   Xavier Martinez 131.6 lbs vs. Alejandro Guerrero 131.8 lbs
 (Junior Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

   •   Miguel Contreras 135.4 lbs vs. Josec Ruiz 135.4 lbs
 (Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

•  Luis Alberto Lopez 127 lbs vs. Yeison Vargas 125.6 lbs
 (Featherweight — 8 Rounds)

•  Antonio Mireles 266 lbs vs. Kaleel Carter 237 lbs
 (Heavyweight — 4 Rounds)

SAN DIEGO (Aug. 18, 2022) — Mexican star Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete is ready to defend his WBO featherweight world title against a fellow countryman who is no stranger to toe-to-toe action. Navarrete (35-1, 29 KOs) will take on upset-minded Eduardo Baez (21-2-2, 7 KOs) in the 12-round main event this Saturday evening at Pechanga Arena San Diego.
 
In the co-feature, San Diego native Giovani “Gallo de Oro” Santillan (29-0, 16 KOs) looks to shine in front of a hometown crown in a 10-round welterweight battle against unbeaten contender Julio Luna (19-0-2, 10 KOs). Undefeated middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (5-0, 4 KOs), grandson of Muhammad Ali, returns in a four-round rematch versus Reyes Sanchez (7-2, 3 KOs). Ali Walsh is fighting in the same venue where his grandfather got his jaw broken by Ken Norton in a 1973 split decision loss. 
 
Navarrete-Baez, Santillan-Luna and Ali Walsh-Sanchez 2 will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
 
Undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ (6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m PT) and includes an eight-round junior welterweight showdown between undefeated Mexican prospects Lindolfo Delgado (15-0, 13 KOs) and Omar “Pollo” Aguilar (24-0, 23 KOs).Tickets starting at $35 can be purchased at AXS.com.

At Thursday’s press conference, this is what the fighters had to say. 

Emanuel Navarrete

“I feel really good. We had a great preparation. We’re going to be making a really good return. It is a bit hard to make the weight because of the time that we were away from the ring. But aside from that, there’s nothing that worries me about being able to make this defense of my championship in excellent fashion.”

“I think Baez is coming with a strong desire to win. He is very well conditioned, and that can make for a great fight. I’ve also prepared very well. We both want this world championship. I have it, but he wants to snatch it away from me. That can make for a great fight from the start. So, I think this fight will lend itself to being a great matchup. We hope that Baez comes out very strong, that we both last the 12 rounds, and that we fight at a very high level.”

“I’m very happy to be returning after the layoff. We hope that my career is going on a good path so that I can keep growing in this new era with Top Rank.”

Eduardo Baez

“I’m very happy because we are fighting for a world title, which is the dream come true for any boxer. We felt really good during our preparation, and we’re coming in great condition. We are very excited to be in this position.” 

“It’s an important fight for a world title. We’re coming double prepared. We are so happy to be fighting against a great champion like ‘El Vaquero.’ We thank him for the opportunity. We’ve come very prepared to snatch the title from him. I’ve seen it already. It’s very nice. He better not get careless because I’m going to snatch it away.”

Giovani Santillan

“It’s exciting for me to be fighting in San Diego again. It’ll be my second time fighting at Pechanga Arena. It’s really a dream come true. Ever since I was an amateur, I’ve been dreaming about fighting in these big venues. To be on ESPN with Top Rank means everything to me, so I’ve been working hard for this.”

“He’s an undefeated fighter like me. So, when you have something like that, it lights up a fire inside me to train extra hard. So, I’m ready. I’m ready for whatever he brings to the table.”

Julio Luna

“This is the opportunity of my career. I come from a family of champions. My sister is a world champion. My objective is to be world champion, and this is the opportunity that will open the path towards that in my career.”

“You will all see the best Julio Luna of my career. This is my opportunity. I plan to leave everything in the ring so I can obtain the victory. I prepared very well. I am ready to win both mentally and physically.”

Nico Ali Walsh

“Honestly, I feel like there’s a lot to prove. That was the start of my career. That was my third fight, and I have been improving beyond what everyone thought I could. It’s exciting that we get to do this, and I think I’ll have a good time. I truly think my last few fights have spoken for themselves, and it shows how hard I’ve been working.”

Reyes Sanchez

“It’s not very often in life that you get a second chance. I’m glad it’s going through. Thank you to everyone who made it happen. I’ve rewatched the fight plenty of times. I think gave him a tougher fight than they were expecting. I expect the same thing Saturday night.”

Lindolfo Delgado

“This is a great opportunity here with Top Rank. I’m very happy. It’s going to be a really good fight. I know that a lot of people are looking forward to this fight because of the kind of fighters we are and because of the record that each of us has. I think it’s going to be really good, so don’t miss it. This is an opportunity that we have both been looking for, and it’s the kind of fight we need to move forward in our careers.”

Omar Aguilar

“It’s the right time because we both have good records. This is the moment in which fighters begin to rise in the ranks so that bigger opportunities can come. Like I’ve always said, I always prepare for the rounds I’m scheduled to fight for. I know he is a strong opponent who boxes really well. And if it goes the distance, I’ll be ready.”

Saturday, August 20

ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT)

 
Emanuel Navarrete vs. Eduardo Baez, 12 rounds, Navarrete’s WBO Featherweight World Title
 
Giovani Santillan vs. Julio Luna, 10 rounds, welterweight

Nico Ali Walsh vs. Reyes Sanchez (rematch), 4 rounds, middleweight

 ESPN+ (6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT)

Austin Brooks vs. Oliver Galicia, 6/4 rounds, junior lightweight
 
Lindolfo Delgado vs. Omar Aguilar, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

Antonio Mireles vs. Kaleel Carter, 4 rounds, heavyweight

SAN DIEGO (July 7, 2022) — Tickets go on sale TODAY at 10 a.m. PT for the Aug. 20 world championship event at Pechanga Arena San Diego headlined by WBO featherweight champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete against Eduardo “El Gemelo” Baez.

In the co-feature, San Diego native Giovani “Gallo de Oro” Santillan looks to improve his record to 30-0 in a 10-round welterweight battle against unbeaten contender Julio Luna. Undefeated middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of Muhammad Ali, will see action in a four-round rematch versus Reyes Sanchez.

Navarrete-Baez, Santillan-Luna and Ali Walsh-Sanchez 2 will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
 
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions, tickets starting at $35 can be purchased at AXS.com.

SAN DIEGO (June 29, 2022) — A fighting cowboy, a hometown hero, and the grandson of “The Greatest” are set for a summer night to remember in San Diego.

Mexican star Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete will defend his WBO featherweight world title in the main event against countryman Eduardo “El Gemelo” Baez on Saturday, Aug. 20 at Pechanga Arena San Diego. Navarrete also signed a new multi-year promotional agreement with Top Rank that will see him fight on the ESPN family of networks in events promoted in association with Zanfer Promotions.

The 10-round welterweight co-feature will see San Diego native Giovani “Gallo de Oro” Santillan risk his unbeaten record against a soon-to-be-announced opponent.

In a four-round special feature, undefeated middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of Muhammad Ali, will fight Reyes Sanchez in a rematch of their December 2021 bout that Ali Walsh edged by majority decision. Ali Walsh will fight in the historic venue that hosted one of his grandfather’s most memorable bouts. In March 1973, Ali and Ken Norton battled for 12 rounds at what was then known as San Diego Sports Arena. Ali suffered a broken jaw and lost a split decision in a major upset.

Navarrete-Baez, Santillan’s welterweight battle, and Ali Walsh-Sanchez 2 will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.

Ticket information for this event that will be promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions, will be announced soon.

“San Diego is a great fight town, and this is an incredible card from top to bottom,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Emanuel Navarrete is always in tremendous action fights, and Eduardo Baez is the type of opponent who will stand in the center of the ring. Santillan is a fantastic young man who drew plenty of support from the local fans last time he fought here. Nico Ali Walsh has improved leaps and bounds since turning pro last year, and I expect him to leave no doubt against Sanchez this time.”

Navarrete (35-1, 29 KOs), winner of 30 consecutive bouts, is a two-weight world champion entering his 10th world title bout. A native of San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico, he emerged on the world scene with a pair of title fight victories over Isaac Dogboe, which started his run as one of boxing’s most fan-friendly world champions. Following five junior featherweight title defenses in nine months, Navarrete moved up to featherweight and won the WBO title in October 2020 with a decision over Ruben Villa. He defended his title twice in 2021, including last October’s 12-round barnburner over Joet Gonzalez at Pechanga Arena.

“I am very excited to finally be back in the ring on August 20. The inactivity of these last eight months has served to give my body the rest it needed and to reflect on many things,” Navarrete said. “Now I’m coming back stronger physically and mentally. I’m going to show that I’m ready to fight any champion at 126 or 130 pounds. There will be a lot of ‘Vaquero’ for a long time.”

Baez (21-2-2, 7 KOs), from Mexicali, Mexico, is the WBO No. 7 featherweight contender. He recently moved up to featherweight after a successful run at junior featherweight that included a Mexican title and wins over three undefeated prospects. In 2017, he lost a tight decision to Mauricio Lara, who entered the title picture with his 2021 knockout over Josh Warrington. Following a disputed majority decision to Ra’eese Aleem last November, Baez moved up to featherweight. In March, he edged Jose Enrique Vivas by majority decision to earn a world ranking and a shot at the 126-pound king.

Santillan (29-0, 16 KOs) is a 10-year pro who has seen his career momentum take off since linking up with noted trainer Robert Garcia in 2020. Last October, he made his Pechanga Arena debut, bringing a raucous cheering section that watched him outfight Angel Ruiz over 10 action-packed rounds. He returned in April in Costa Mesa, California, and knocked out Jeovanis Barraza in seven rounds. 

“I didn’t know when I’d be back fighting in San Diego, so when I heard the news, I was ecstatic. This shows we can continue having big cards in San Diego, and I can’t wait for all my fans to pack Pechanga Arena,” Santillan said. “I want a world title opportunity soon. That’s the dream. I’d love to fight for a world title, and defend my belt, in my hometown.”

Ali Walsh (5-0, 4 KOs) had no ring struggles until meeting Sanchez under the Madison Square Garden lights. After a dominant first two rounds, Sanchez rallied in the third and fourth to nearly pull even. In January, Ali Walsh got back on the knockout track with a second-round stoppage over Jeremiah Yeager. Three months later, on the Oscar Valdez-Shakur Stevenson undercard in Las Vegas, he sparked out Alejandro Ibarra in the opening round with a left-right combination. He enters the Sanchez fight with a new head trainer, Kay Koroma, who works with (among others) Stevenson, rising middleweight prospect Troy Isley, and female pound-for-pound star Mikaela Mayer. Sanchez (7-2, 3 KOs), from Topeka, Kansas, entered the first Ali Walsh fight with an unbeaten record built primarily in his home state. He is coming off a decision loss to unbeaten prospect Sharif Rahman, son of former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman.

“Despite winning our last fight, I feel like I must set the record straight with Reyes Sanchez. He’s the only opponent I haven’t knocked out, and I don’t see the rematch going the distance,” Ali Walsh said. “Kay Koroma has already added so much to my arsenal, and I can’t wait to perform in front of the great San Diego fans and everyone watching on ESPN.”

Undercard action, streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+, includes an eight-round junior welterweight showdown between unbeaten Mexican standouts Lindolfo Delgado (15-0, 13 KOs) and Omar Aguilar (24-0, 23 KOs). Delgado represented Mexico at the 2016 Rio Olympics, while Aguilar has 15 first-round knockouts on his ledger and second-round stoppages in his last three bouts.

IBF No 1. featherweight contender Luis Alberto Lopez (25-2, 14 KOs) returns in an eight-rounder, while junior lightweight contender Xavier Martinez (17-1, 11 KOs) looks to bounce back from his first career loss against Alejandro Guerrero (12-2, 9 KOs) in an eight-rounder.

Follow all the action as Emanuel Navarrete defends the WBO Featherweight title against Joet Gonzalez. The fights start at 11:30 PM ET with welterweights Giovani Santillan and Angel Ruiz

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Round 1: Right and left from Gonzalez

Round 2 Body shot from Gonzalez…Nice Jab…Swelling under the right of Gonzalez..Nice Jab from Navarrete..

Round 3 Flurry from Gonzalez..Left and hook to body from Navarrete..Nice right from Gonzalez…Gonzalez cut under right eye from a punch…Navarrete digging to body..Right and combination from Gonzalez..Nice combinations

Round 4 1-2 and an uppercut from Navarrete…Short left..quick right from Gonzalez..Body and right..Left to body from Navarrete..Good body work from Gonzalez…Right hurts Navarrete

Round 5 Nice Jab from Gonzalez…Left and uppercut from Navarrete..Right

Round 6 Volume combination from Navarrete..Long right from Gonzalez…Nice right to body..Navarrete lands an uppercut..Short roght from Gonzalez..

Round 7 Gonzlez lands a counter…5 punch combination from Navarrete…Nice uppercut..

Round 8 Navarrete lands a right…Nice right…Hard right

Round 9 Nice right from Gonzalez..Body shot…Combination from Navarrete..Nice uppercut

Round 10 Gonzalez is cut around both eyes… Low blow landed by Gonzalez..Combination from Navarrete..body shot…Nice Combination..Gonzalez lands a nice left hook..

Round 11 Nice right from Gonzalez..5 punch combination from Navarrete..Left and right from Gonzalez..

Round 12 Body work from Navarrete…Nice right from Gonzalez and a body shot..2 left hooks..4 punch combination from Navarrete..Big right..Great fight

118-110, 116-112 For EMANUEL NAVARRETE

Round 1 Uppercut Hurts Santillan
Round 2 Flurry from Santillan..Short left..Left from Ruiz..Left from Santillan..Body from Ruiz..Body shot
Round 3 Double right hook from santillan…Nice right from Ruiz..Left hook..Left and and right from Santillan..Double left..Nice Uppercut..right Hook from Ruiz..Right uppercut from Santillan
Round 4 Hard combination from Santillan..Right from Ruiz
Round 5 Nice counter right from Santillan..Nice body shot..Right uppercut…Nice left..2 Uppercuts from Ruiz..1-2 from Santillan…
Round 6 Solid right from Ruiz…Body..Right to the head..Trading body shots…Nice right from Ruiz
Round 7 Right from Ruiz..Hard left from Santillan..Right hand..
Round 8 Combination from Santillan..2 lefts..Big combination..Uppercuts..Big Flurry
Round 9 Santillan landeing damaging shots on the ropes
Round 10 Left and 3 punch combination from Santillan..Nice right hook from Ruiz…2 punch combination from Santilan..Flurry..Double Right hook..

99-91, 100-90 FOR SANTILLAN

Emanauel Navarrete earned his 2nd title defense of the WBO Featherweight title over Joet Gonzalez at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California.

In round two, Gonzalez began to swell under his right eye. In round three, a cut formed under that eye from a Navarrete left hook. Gonzalez showed an extreme toughness as the swelling and cut got worse in each round, but that did nor deter him as he agressiveness made Navarrete begin to turn up his customery volume punching.

Over the 2nd half of the fight, Navarrete started taking control, but when the cut from Gonzalez seemed to worsen, he came back to land hard shots that would push Gonzalez back. In the end, the sheer volume was the difference for Gonzalez by scores of 118-110 and 116-112 twice.

Navarrete landed 272 of 979 punches; Gonzalez was 169 of 667.

Navarrete, 125.8 lbs of Mexico is 35-1. Gonzalez, 125.4 lbs of Glendora, CA is 24-2. Both of his losses were in world title bouts as he dropped a unanimous decision to Shakur Stevenson for the same title October 26, 2019.

“Without a doubt, I hurt him, but every single time he came back, and he also hurt me. A couple shots he landed hurt me during the fight,” Navarrete said. “It has been an exciting ride so far, and from now on, I want the bigger fights.”

Gonzalez said, “I thought I had it seven rounds to five, eight rounds to four. I was really surprised by that score of 118-110, I believe. But it is what it is, and I did my best.”

Santillan Decisions Ruiz

Giovani Santillan remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Angel Ruiz in a welterweight bout.

Santillan was able to get the better of the fast paced fight by landing hard combinations on the inside. The fight was fought at close quarters with many exchanges that saw Santillan land more and harder.

In round seven, Santillan’s left eye began to swell.

Santillan landed 266 of 693 punches; Ruiz was 157 of 577.

Santillan, 147 lbs of San Diego won by scores of 100-90 twice and 99-91 and is now 28-0. Ruiz, 147.4 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 17-2.

Santillan said, “This is what it’s all about, a great fight in front of my amazing hometown fans. They were cheering for me all night, and it was an honor to perform for my people in San Diego.
 
“My father and I always wanted to fight here. It was a dream come true, and credit to Angel Ruiz for going to battle for 10 rounds. He’s a true Mexican warrior. I have nothing but respect for him.”

Henry LeBron remained undefeated by winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Manuel Rey Rojas in a junior lightweight bout.

LeBron landed 97 of 311 punches; Rojas was 37 of 232.

Lebron, 131 lbs of Puerto Rico won by scores of 80-72 scores on all cards and is now 14-0. Rojas, 130.2 lbs of Dallas, TX is 21-6.

Lindolfo Delgado remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Juan Garcia Mendez in a junior welterweight fight.

In round eight, Delgado landed a hard right that was follwed by a combination that dropped Mendez in the corner.

Delgado landed 170 of 385 punches; Mendez was 75 of 451.

Delgado, 141.6 lbs of Linares, MEX won by scores of 80-71 on all cards, and is now 14-0. Mendez, 140.2 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is 21-5-2.

Javier Martinez remained undefested as he battered Darryl Jones over six-rounds to win a unanimous decision in a middleweight bout.

Martinez, 162.4 lbs of Milwaukee, WI won by scores of 60-54 and 60-53 twice and is now 5-0. Jones, 161.6 lbs of Sarasota, FL is 4-3-1.

Floyd Diaz remained undefeated by winning a four-round unanimous decision over Jose Ramirez in a bantamweight fight.

In round one, Diaz dropped Ramirez with an overhand right.

Diaz, 118 lbs of Las Vegas won by scores of 40-35 twice and 39-36 and is now 3-0. Ramirez, 116.4 lbs of Tucson, AZ is 1-1.

Antonio Mireles made a successful pro debut with a first-round stoppage over Demonte Randle in a heavyweight bout.

In round one, Mireles dropped Randle with a right hook. Seconds later, Mireles landed a hard flurry that sent Randle into the ropes for a knockdown. Mireles ended the fight with a right jook to the side of the head that sent Randle down and the fight was stopped at

Mireles, 262.2 lbs of Des Moines, IA is 1-0 with one knockout. Randle, 314 lbs of Kansas City, MO is 2-2.

    •   Emanuel Navarrete 125.8 lbs vs. Joet Gonzalez 125.4 lbs 
(Navarrete’s  WBO Featherweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
Judges: Max DeLuca, Patricia Morse Jarman and Pat Russell
Referee: Ray Corona

•     Giovani Santillan 147 lbs vs. Angel Ruiz 147.4 lbs 
(Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

(ESPN+, 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT)

•  Henry Lebron 131 lbs vs. Manuel Rey Rojas 130.2 lbs 
(Junior Lightweight — 8 Rounds)

   •   Lindolfo Delgado 141.6 lbs vs. Juan Garcia Mendez 140.2 lbs
 (Junior Welterweight — 8 Rounds)

   •       Javier Martinez 162.4 lbs vs. Darryl Jones 161.6 lbs
 (Middleweight — 6 Rounds)

   •   Floyd Diaz 118 lbs vs. Jose Ramirez 116.4 lbs
 (Bantamweight — 4 Rounds)

   •   Antonio Mireles 262.2 lbs vs. Demote Randle 314 lbs
 (Heavyweight — 4 Rounds)

SAN DIEGO (Oct. 13, 2021)—One of Mexico’s most decorated champions, WBO featherweight king Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete, knows the challenge at hand is a formidable one. The former junior featherweight champion will make the second defense of his featherweight title against Joet Gonzalez this Friday at Pechanga Arena San Diego. Gonzalez is making his second attempt at a world title, while Navarrete hopes to improve to 10-0 in world title fights.

In the 10-round welterweight co-feature, San Diego native Giovani Santillan (27-0, 15 KOs) will take on the hard-charging Angel Ruiz (17-1, 12 KOs). Ruiz is coming off April’s decision win over the previously undefeated Bobirzhan Mominov. 

At Wednesday’s final press conference, this is what the combatants had to say.

Emanuel Navarrete

“I feel very strong. I’ve seen changes in my body for the best, and I think this division is the best for me.”

“I think this is going to be a tough fight. He is a tough opponent. We are basically fighting in his hometown, closer to where he lives. Without a doubt, he’s a great fighter. He always comes forward. I expect a tough fight.”

“Moving up is not something that I’m considering now. I’m just focused on the fight with Joet. What I’ve heard is comments, but I’m not really thinking about moving up.”

Joet Gonzalez

On his first title shot against Shakur Stevenson

“Sometimes it’s just not your night. I work hard and train hard for every fight. I don’t take nobody lightly. It just simply wasn’t my night. I rebounded with a win over Marriaga, and I think I showed the public I’m here to fight the best out there.”

“It’s not an easy fight. It’s a tough fight. Navarrete has a style that’s very unique, very hard to figure out, and that’s why he’s a champion. I trained really hard, and I’m coming with everything. I’m planning on leaving Friday night with that belt.”

“It means everything. It’s my childhood dream. I always wanted to be a world champion. That’s why I started boxing in the beginning. That’s the plan, to bring that belt back home.”

Giovani Santillan

“This means a lot. It’s what we worked so hard for all my life. My dad and I always talked about having these big shows in San Diego and representing our city.”

“We’re focused. I’m lucky to have a huge support system. I got my friends and my family. They haven’t really been asking for free tickets. If anything, they’re letting me know, ‘Hey, I bought tickets. I bought this amount of tickets and am coming out to support you.'”

“I’m not sure how long ago it was that we sparred, maybe three, four years ago. We just went about five rounds. Good, hard sparring session, but I’m not judging him off of that sparring session or past fights. We’re working hard to prepare for the best version of him, and I’m bringing the best version of myself.”

“It’s very special for me to be fighting here in San Diego. I grew up close by here. To all my family and friends that are coming, expect the best version of me. I’m coming with everything.”

Angel Ruiz

“I learned a lot {with trainer Manny Robles} because he’s a great coach. He’s trained Oscar Valdez and Andy Ruiz Jr., and I learned a lot {under his tutelage}.”

“{Giovani and I} had great sparring. He’s a great fighter. I’m a great fighter, too. It was great work.”

“I lived all my life in Tijuana. I know San Diego. I lived a year here in Chula Vista. I’ll have a lot of the public here to support. This is my opportunity.”

FRIDAY, October 15, 2021

ESPN+, Approximately 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT

Emanuel Navarrete vs. Joet Gonzalez, 12 rounds, Navarrete’s WBO Featherweight World Title

Giovani Santillan vs. Angel Ruiz, 10 rounds, welterweight

ESPN+, 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT

Henry Lebron vs. Manuel Rey Rojas, 8 rounds, junior lightweight

Lindolfo Delgado vs. Juan Garcia Mendez, 8 rounds, junior welterweight

Antonio Mireles vs. Demonte Randle, 4 rounds, heavyweight

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 14.9 million subscribers.
  
Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

LAS VEGAS (Sept. 22, 2021) —Antonio “El Gigante” Mireles is about to take a giant step in his boxing career. The 6-foot-9, 265-pound heavyweight from Des Moines, Iowa, has signed a multi-year promotional contract with Top Rank and will make his professional debut in a four-rounder live on ESPN+ Friday, Oct. 15 on the Emanuel Navarrete-Joet Gonzalez undercard at Pechanga Arena San Diego. 

Mireles enters the paid ranks with an all-star team in his corner. He’s training with Robert Garcia in Riverside, California, and is managed by David McWater, the 2020 Manager of the Year.

“Antonio is a big young man with a personality to match, and he has all the makings of a heavyweight superstar,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “With Robert Garcia guiding him inside the ropes, I have no doubt he’ll develop into a formidable fighter.”

Mireles said, “I want to thank Top Rank for this tremendous opportunity. I’ve had my eye on Top Rank ever since I started taking the sport seriously, and it’s an honor to turn pro under their banner. I am a versatile boxer, but I’m not afraid to get in the trenches and have a shootout. My coaches try to stop me from doing that, but I’m aggressive by nature. I believe my style is more suited to the pro game, and I’m counting down the days until I step in that ring.”

Mireles, who started boxing at the age of 12, had a brief but successful amateur career. He went 28-4 with 10 knockouts, winning the 2020 USA Olympic Trials and a National Golden Gloves title in 2019. Despite winning the trials, Mireles was selected as an alternate for the 2020 Olympic boxing qualifiers. As a result, he set his sights on the pro game.

“The more I thought about it, I realized I had no desire to fight as an amateur anymore,” Mireles said. “I wanted to take the next step and continue to grow as a fighter.”

SAN DIEGO (September 14, 2021) — Mexico’s fighting cowboy is ready to roll into San Diego. Two-division kingpin Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete will defend his WBO featherweight world title against mandatory challenger Joet Gonzalez on Friday, Oct. 15 at Pechanga Arena San Diego.

In the 10-round welterweight co-feature, San Diego native Giovani Santillan makes his first hometown appearance in more than seven years against Angel “Relampago” Ruiz, the southpaw windmill from Culiacán, Mexico.

Navarrete-Gonzalez and Santillan-Ruiz will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at approximately 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT. The undercard — also streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ — will feature middleweight prospect Javier “Milwaukee Made” Martinez (4-0, 2 KOs) in a six-rounder, undefeated 2016 Mexican Olympian Lindolfo Delgado (13-0, 12 KOs) in an eight-rounder at junior welterweight, and an eight-round junior lightweight battle between rising Puerto Rican prospect Henry “Moncho” Lebron (13-0, 9 KOs) and noted spoiler Manuel Rey Rojas (21-5, 6 KOs).

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets starting at $55 go on sale Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased by visiting AXS.com.

“Emanuel Navarrete never disappoints, as he’s a true Mexican warrior who fights in a crowd-pleasing style,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Joet Gonzalez earned his position as the mandatory challenger, and he has everything it takes to give Navarrete a formidable challenge. I am also thrilled that Giovani Santillan will get an opportunity to fight in front of the hometown fans in an excellent fight against Angel Ruiz.”

Navarrete (34-1, 29 KOs) is 8-0 with six knockouts in world title fights, a busy championship run that began in December 2018 with his dominant decision over Isaac Dogboe to win the WBO junior featherweight world title. Following five title defenses in nine months, Navarrete moved up to featherweight and bested Ruben Villa by unanimous decision last October to win the WBO world title. He defended that title in April and knocked out Christopher Diaz in the 12th round. Gonzalez (24-1, 14 KOs) fell short in his first world title opportunity in October 2019, losing a decision to pound-for-pound star Shakur Stevenson. He returned last September and handed a one-sided beating to three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga to earn his WBO No. 1 ranking.

“I am focused on winning this fight and defending my world title for the second time. I know that Joet Gonzalez is a good fighter. I respect him and he is also my mandatory challenger, but I am the champion, and I will show him why. This belt isn’t going anywhere,” Navarrete said. “I hope that my Mexican fans will support me in San Diego, and my fans from Tijuana can also come to the fight. I will give them a great fight, and it will be a great victory for all my Mexican people.”

Gonzalez said, “I am excited and thankful to receive a second world title opportunity, this time against a great Mexican warrior like Navarrete. I know I have what it takes to become a world champion, and I will show the world that on Oct. 15. No disrespect to Navarrete, but this is my time.”

Santillan (27-0, 15 KOs), born and raised in San Diego, first picked up a pair of gloves at 8 years old and fought nearly 80 amateur bouts before turning pro in 2012 in Temecula, California. Santillan rose the ranks fighting mostly in Southern California, but he’s made only one pro appearance in his hometown, a 2014 TKO over Osenohan Vazquez. In June 2020, he survived a razor-thin majority decision against former lightweight world champion Antonio DeMarco. After a year-long layoff, he returned June 26 with a one-sided decision over Cecil McCalla. Ruiz (17-1, 12 KOs), a six-year pro, won the first 16 fights of his career before suffering a shocking second-round knockout loss to Javier Flores in October 2019. He came back in April 2021 and bullied the previously unbeaten Bobirzhan Mominov en route to an eight-round decision on a nationally televised card.

“As soon as I got the call, I was excited because this is something my dad and I talked about for a long time, being part of a big show in San Diego,” Santillan said. “Ruiz is a good fighter, a hungry guy, but I’m hungry as well. We actually sparred a few years back and did some rounds. It was good work. I can’t wait for Oct. 15. I’m going to perform for my family, my friends, and my city. This is an incredible opportunity.”

Lebron (13-0, 9 KOs), a southpaw who won Puerto Rican amateur national titles in 2015 and 2016 before turning pro, is coming off last August’s near-shutout decision over veteran Luis Porozo. One of his island nation’s most promising prospects, the 23-year-old has six knockouts in two rounds or less. Rojas (21-5, 6 KOs) has only been knocked out once as a pro and most recently won a one-sided decision over Tyler McCreary in June on a Top Rank card.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 14.9 million subscribers.

Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

Emanuel Navarrete made the 1st defense of the WBO featherweight title with a 12th round stoppage over Christopher Diaz at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida.

In round four, Navarrete landed a leaping left uppercut to the bottom of the Diaz chin and put him on the seat of his pants.

In round seven, Diaz was deducted a point for hitting in the back. In round eight, Navarrete landed a left uppercut followed by a right hand that sent Diaz down. Seconds later, a ripping combination sent Diaz, who was now bleeding around his left eye, down again. In round 11, Diaz was bleeding from the nose and mouth.

A furious 12th round saw both guys stand toe-to-toe with both Navarrete and Diaz landing huge shots until a big right stopped Diaz in his tracks which gave Navarrete the opportunity to land some hard shots to the open face of Diaz. Diaz ate a big barrage of punches that finally sent him to the canvas. The fight was stopped by bith the corner and the referee at 2:49.

Navarrete, 126 lbs of Mexico is now 34-1 with 29 knockouts. Diaz, 125.8 lbs if Barranquilla, PR is 26-3.

Berlanga Goes Past one; Drops Nicholson Four times and wins Decision

Edgar Berlanga was finally forced to go past one round. In-fact he was taken the full eight-round distance and won a unanimous decision over Demond Nicholson in a super middleweight bout.

Berlanga was dominant in dropping Nicholson in rounds one, five, six and an almost fight ending right hand that put Nicholson down in round eight..

Berlanga landed 110 of 306 punches; Nicholson was 82 of 392.

Berlanga, 168.4 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 79-68 and 79-69 twice and is now 17-0. Nicholson, 168.2 lbs of Laurel, MD is 23-4-1.

(ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT)

    •    Emanuel Navarrete 126 lbs vs.Christopher Diaz 125.8 lbs 
(Navarrete’s WBO Featherweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
Judges: Chris Flores, Alexander Levin, and Patricia Morse Jarman
Referee: Samuel Burgos

•          Edgar Berlanga 168.4 lbs vs. Demond Nicholson 168.2 lbs 
(Super Middleweight— 8 Rounds)
Judges: Rodolfo Aguilar, Fred Fluty and Efrain Lebron 
Referee: Emil Lombardi

(ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT)

•   Josue Vargas 141.4 lbs vs. Willie Shaw 139.8 lbs 
(Junior Welterweight — 10 Rounds)

•         Joseph Adorno 135.2 lbs vs. Jamaine Ortiz 136.2
(Lightweight  — 8 Rounds)

   •   Orlando Gonzalez 127.6 lbs vs. Juan Antonio Lopez 128.4
 (Featherweight   — 8 Rounds)

•       Xander Zayas 146.4 lbs vs. Demarcus Layton 146.2
 (Welterweight — 6 Rounds)
•      Jeremy Adorno 122 lbs vs. Ramiro Martinez 122.2
 (Junior Featherweight — 4 Rounds)

•        Jaycob Gomez 129 lbs vs. Mobley Villegas 129.4
 (Junior Lightweight — 4 Rounds)

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (April 22, 2021) — Central Florida will turn into Northern Puerto Rico on Saturday evening when two of the island’s favorite boxers look to make emphatic statements.

In the main event from a sold-out Silver Spurs Arena, two-weight Mexican world champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete will make the first defense of his WBO featherweight world title against Puerto Rican challenger Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz. The co-feature will see Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga, 16-0 with 16 first-round knockouts, test himself against veteran contender Demond Nicholson in an eight-round super middleweight tilt.

Navarrete-Diaz and Berlanga-Nicholson will air live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, with undercard action set to stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. At the final presser, this is what the fighters had to say.

Emanuel Navarrete

“I know he has been fighting at 126 and even at 130. I think it will be tough to hurt a fighter that has fought at higher divisions, but I believe I have the punching power to knock him out.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve fought in front of fans. I miss the vibes of having the fans in the arena. Even though 90 percent of the fans will be cheering for ‘Pitufo,’ I feel like the pressure is going to be on him because he needs to perform for his people, for his fans. I’ve always been a fighter that’s been on the road, fighting away from home. I feel like the pressure is on him.”

“I started training camp in Mexico. Things were not as tough there, and the hard part of training camp I did in Tijuana. I want to thank my co-promoter Zanfer for the help they’ve given me. This camp has been very good, unlike the last camp for {Ruben} Villa, where everything was closed. So it was really tough to train for that fight.”

Christopher Diaz

“I’ve been in the big arenas a lot of times {against} Shakur Stevenson, Masayuki Ito in front of 8,00 people. Sold out against Navarrete. I think I have the experience to become world champion Saturday night.”

“If you’ve seen my last two fights, I’ve been a different fighter. I go to the ring to perform, to show the people I can be a star. Navarrete is a great champion. It’s a pleasure for me to share the ring with him. We’re going to be in the history books as part of Puerto Rico versus Mexico, but again, there are levels to this. Navarrete has been in a lot of title fights, but this is my second one, and I can say my third one because the Shakur Stevenson was that level a fight.”

“{After the Stevenson fight}, when I came home and I saw my babies…I have three daughters and a beautiful wife. As a leader in my house, I have to bring the food to the table, and this is the easiest way. I mean, it’s not easy because you get hit, but at the end of the day, I go back to the gym with that mentality. I work hard.”

“I want to tell Navarrete that I respect him as a person. He’s a humble guy, a family man like myself. It’s tough to become a one-time champion. I had my opportunity already, and I just hope he brings his best so we can give the fans a great fight.”

“We’re fighting a 50-50 fight. I’m happy because he knows I’m the most dangerous fighter he’s fought to this day. I’m just comfortable. I got confidence in myself. My team believes in me. My family believes in me. That means a lot to me because it’s my family. That’s my team. That’s my daughters yelling to me. That’s the most important thing. I don’t think about Navarrete’s fans who are against me because he deserves that, he’s a two-time world champion.”

Edgar Berlanga

“With winning, all of that comes. The fame, the money… when you’re winning, and if you’re doing what I’m doing, all of that is going to come. So I don’t really pay mind to that. It’s cool to have that, to build a brand. You build the brand, you build the image, and that’s how you make more money. But at the end of the day, boxing is my number one priority. And you have to win at the end of the day.”

“He’s the right fight. We’re building something here. It’s brick by brick. Rome wasn’t built in a day. I know he’s a veteran. He has a lot of fights under his belt. He got a lot of experience, and these are the types of fights I need.”

“Like I always say, every fight is for Puerto Rico. It’s an island that hasn’t had a world champion and a superstar in a very long time, so for me, it’s going to be electrifying. I’m ready to tear the roof off. It’s going to be a good night Saturday.”

“We push in training camp to go those rounds in sparring. I make sure I’m ready to go 12 rounds, whether {the fight} is an eight-rounder or 10-rounder. And that’s the mindset you gotta have because there are killers out there. You have to train for that. When you’re on top and a target, everyone wants to take your head off, so you have to be 100 percent prepared. We’re in camp, and I push myself to the limit each and every time.”

Demond Nicholson

“When we got the call, {I thought} that’s not a bad fight. When we first got it, we turned it down. They called us in December or January. We turned it down. They didn’t offer the money that we wanted, and then they called us back and we found a conclusion and the fight is happening.”

On how he’s changed since his 2018 knockout loss to Jesse Hart

“I’m not mentally in the same place I was three years ago, financially and everything. I was facing some hard demons that I’ve pushed away and pushed to the side, overcame, and now it’s time to work. It’s my time to shine.”

“It’s going to be a boxing lesson. That’s all I can tell you.”

SATURDAY, April 24, 2021

ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Emanuel Navarrete vs. Christopher Diaz, 12 rounds, Navarrete’s WBO Featherweight World Title

Edgar Berlanga  vs. Demond Nicholson, 8 rounds, super middleweight

ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT

Josue Vargas vs. Willie Shaw, 10 rounds, junior welterweight

Joseph Adorno vs. Jamaine Ortiz, 8 rounds, lightweight

Xander Zayas vs. Demarcus Layton, 6 rounds, welterweight

Jeremy Adorno vs. Ramiro Martinez, 4 rounds, junior featherweight

Jaycob Gomez vs. Mobley Villegas, 4 rounds, junior lightweight

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 12.1 million subscribers.
  
Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $59.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $12.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $18.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (April 15, 2021) — Josue “The Prodigy” Vargas was born in Isabel, Puerto Rico, and idolized the great Felix “Tito” Trinidad. For the first time in his professional career, he’ll have a building full of Puerto Rican fans cheering him on. Vargas will fight Willie Shaw in a 10-round junior welterweight bout Saturday, April 24 at a sold-out Silver Spurs Arena in the Puerto Rican enclave of Kissimmee, Florida.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with All Star Boxing, Vargas-Shaw will highlight a loaded undercard showcasing Puerto Rico’s top young talent streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. Following the undercard, Mexico’s Emanuel Navarrete defends his WBO featherweight world title against Puerto Rican contender Christopher Diaz, and super middleweight Edgar Berlanga (16-0, 16 KOs) seeks to score his 17th consecutive first-round knockout against Demond Nicholson (ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

“It is time to show the world who ‘The Prodigy’ is,” Vargas said. “Fighting in Kissimmee is like fighting in Puerto Rico. After this fight, the Puerto Rican fans will talk about me. I am going to put on a show. I’ve seen some videos of Shaw on YouTube. I’m not going to take anything away from him, but he doesn’t have skills like I do. I have more experience than him. It’s time for me to break him down and show the world I’m a contender.”

Vargas (18-1, 9 KOs) had a breakthrough performance last October on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Teofimo Lopez undercard, dominating contender Kendo Castaneda via unanimous decision. He made headlines last June when he conducted his post-fight interview on ESPN after Salvador Briceno knocked out a pair of his upper front teeth. Despite the dental mishap, Vargas nearly shut out Briceno. Vargas has won 12 consecutive fights since a controversial disqualification loss.

“I’ve shown my intelligence in the ring. I barely got touched against Castaneda,” Vargas said. “I threw more than 800 punches in 10 rounds. It showed me that I belonged with higher-level fighters. I was letting him survive. That was me being nice. This time, I’ll apply more pressure and get the stoppage.”

Shaw (13-2, 9 KOs), from Oakland, California, enters the lion’s den as an experienced road warrior, having fought six times in Mexico since turning pro in 2017. Last August, Shaw pushed top prospect Omar Juarez before losing a six-round decision. He rebounded in January with a second-round stoppage in Tijuana.

In other undercard action:

Joseph Adorno (14-0-1, 12 KOs) vs. Jamaine Ortiz (14-0, 8 KOs)
8 Rounds, Lightweight

Adorno returns from a nearly 16-month layoff hoping to return to the win column following his January 2020 draw against Hector Garcia. He has a chance to advance from prospect to contender against the unbeaten Ortiz, who is coming off last November’s seventh-round knockout over Ugandan veteran Sulaiman Segawa on the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. undercard.

Orlando Gonzalez (16-0, 10 KOs) vs. Juan Antonio Lopez (15-8, 6 KOs)
8 Rounds, Featherweight

Puerto Rican southpaw stylist Gonzalez makes his 2021 debut against Lopez, a Texas resident who has upset a few undefeated prospects during his nearly nine-year pro career. Gonzalez went 162-16 as an amateur and inked a promotional deal with Top Rank in 2019.

Xander Zayas (7-0, 5 KOs) vs Demarcus Layton (8-1-1, 5 KOs)
6 Rounds, Welterweight

Puerto Rican prodigy Zayas, an 18-year-old who signed with Top Rank at 16, makes his third pro appearance in Kissimmee. He last fought Feb. 20 in Las Vegas and was pushed the six-round distance by James Martin. Zayas, who won 11 national titles as an amateur, recently spent time in his Florida training camp sparring Gervonta Davis and former world champions Adrien Broner and Robert Easter Jr. Layton is unbeaten in three bouts since a 2019 TKO loss.

Jeremy Adorno (4-0, 1 KO) vs. Ramiro Martinez (2-0-2, 1 KO)
4 Rounds, Junior Featherweight

Adorno, a 2017 U.S. Youth National Championship gold medalist, turned pro under the Top Rank banner in March 2019. The younger brother of Joseph Adorno, he’ll fight for the first time since a January 2020 decision win on the Joe Smith Jr.-Jesse Hart undercard in Atlantic City. Martinez, who fights out of Hurst, Texas, fought last November and won a one-sided decision over the 1-0 Tevin Moore.

Jaycob Gómez (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Mobley Villegas (3-1, 2 KOs)
4 Rounds, Junior Lightweight

Gómez is a 19-year-old upstart from Caguas, Puerto Rico, the same city that produced Miguel Cotto. He turned pro last October and scored a sensational first-round knockout. Villegas has never stopped as a professional.

Use the hashtags #NavarreteDiaz and #BerlangaNicholson to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit 

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KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 15, 2021) — Mexican great Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete, boxing’s busiest world champion, is set to kick off his 2021 campaign by reviving a long-standing pugilistic rivalry. Navarrete will make his first defense of the WBO featherweight world title Saturday, April 24 against Puerto Rican contender Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Fla.

In the co-feature, super middleweight Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga, 16-0, with 16 first-round stoppages, will step up in class against Demond Nicholson in a bout scheduled for eight rounds (or much less).

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with All Star Boxing and Zanfer Promotions, Navarrete-Diaz and Berlanga-Nicholson will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, with undercard bouts to stream live and exclusively on ESPN+. Ticket information will be announced shortly.

“The sensational Emanuel Navarrete wanted a formidable opponent for his first featherweight title defense, and Christopher Diaz fits the bill,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We are also thrilled to have Edgar Berlanga back on ESPN, as he is the most devastating young puncher I’ve seen in ages.”

Navarrete (33-1, 28 KOs) burst onto the world scene in December 2018, battering Isaac Dogboe over 12 rounds to win the WBO junior featherweight world title. He is 7-0 since then, including five title defenses, all by stoppage. Navarrete moved up to featherweight and picked up the vacant WBO world title last October with a unanimous decision over the previously undefeated Ruben Villa. Diaz (26-2, 16 KOs) is not unbeaten, but he is battle-tested, having challenged Masayuki Ito for the WBO junior lightweight world title in July 2018. He lost to Ito by unanimous decision and has gone 3-1 since moving down to featherweight. Diaz rebounded from a 2019 points loss to Shakur Stevenson, besting former world title challenger Jason Sanchez over 10 rounds last June inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble.

“I am a fighter who likes to face the best, and my challenge now is to beat the tough ‘Pitufo’ Diaz,” Navarrete said. “I know he is a good fighter, and I am sure we will give a great show to the people of Florida and to those watching us fight on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. On April 24, I will show that I am the best featherweight in the world. I will not let him take my championship to Puerto Rico. That belt will stay with me in San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico.” 

Diaz said, “I have once again been given an opportunity to become a world champion, but there is something very different this time around. I will not fail. I will bring that much-needed world title to Puerto Rico. This is my time to become a world champion. God knows how much I have sacrificed and how much I have evolved. I live today to make my family happy, and it is time to change their lives. On April 24, there is no doubt that I will become world champion, and I will see you all on April 25 when I return to my island as world champion.”

Berlanga broke out as boxing’s consensus 2020 Prospect of the Year, impressing fans and media with his string of first-round routs against increasingly difficult opposition. Last July, he knocked out veteran spoiler Eric Moon in 62 seconds, and less than three months later on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Teofimo Lopez undercard, he became the first man to stop 30-fight veteran Lanell Bellows. Berlanga finished his whirlwind 2020 on Dec. 12, stopping the normally durable Ulises Sierra (15-1-2) in 2:40. Nicholson (23-3-1, 20 KOs) has won five consecutive fights since a seventh-round TKO loss to Jesse Hart in April 2018.

“I don’t like to make predictions, but make sure you tune in. I want to show out for the fans in attendance,” Berlanga said. “April 24 is going to be the beginning of a huge 2021 for my team. I take it one fight at a time, and this is just another step toward my goal of becoming a champion.”

Nicholson said, “I have the experience. When I first started, I was knocking everyone out in the first round as well. I have 20 knockouts, and that speaks for itself. If you look at his opponents, I’d knock them all out. Is he ready for the next level? He might be ready, but he won’t be ready for me.”

The undercard, which will be announced in due course, is set to feature a plethora of Puerto Rican fan-favorites: junior welterweight contender Josue Vargas, 18-year-old phenom Xander Zayas, unbeaten featherweight Orlando Gonzalez, undefeated junior lightweight Henry Lebron, big-punching lightweight Joseph “Blessed Hands” Adorno, and junior featherweight prospect Jeremy “Magic Hands” Adorno.

Use the hashtag #NavarreteDiaz to join the conversation on social media. For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing; twitter.com/ESPNRingside.

Emanuel Navarrete became a two-division world champion as he won the WBO Featherweight Title with a 12-round majority decision over previosuly undefeated Ruben Villa at the MGM Conference Center in Las Vegas.

In round one, Navarrete scored a knockdown from a left uppercut. In round four, it was another uppercut that sent Villa down.

Navarrete outlanded Villa 163-131.

Navarrete, 126 lbs of Mexico won by scores of 115-111 and 114-112 twice and is now 33-1. Villa, 125 lbs of Salinas, CA is 18-1.

Navarrete said, “I knew that Villa was a fighter that moved a lot, and I knew that he was going to move even more once he felt my power. I didn’t get the knockout, but I got the victory.
 
“I’m very happy with this championship. It’s a reflection of all the sacrifices and all the hard work I put in. I conquered my second weight class because of all that hard work.
 
“I have my sights set on all the world champions at 126. I would love to face {Josh} Warrington. I think that our styles will make for a great fight.”

Alimkhanuly stops Coria in 2

Janibek Alimhanuly destroyed Gozala Cora in two rounds of their scheduled 10-round middleweight bout.

In round one, Alimkhanuly dropped Coria with a hard left. In round two, Alimkhanuly landed anther booming left that sent Coria down face-first and the fight was stopped at 2:59.

Alimkhanuly, 159.6 lbs of Kazakhstan is 9-0 with five knockouts. Coria, 158.6 lbs of Argentima is 16-4.

Alimkhanuly said, “I want to fight a world champion soon, like Demetrius Andrade and Jermall Charlo. Canelo, of course. Top Rank promotes Ryota Murata at 160. I want to fight him as well. Whoever the top guys are 160, I want them next.”

Rodriguez Stops Krael in 3

Good looking prospect Elvis Rodriguez stopped durable Cameron Krael in round three of their scheduled eight-round junior welterweight bout.

In round three, Rodriguez landed a right hook to the head that sent Krael down for the 10-count at 53 seconds.

Rodriguez, 141.5 lbs of Santo Domingo, DR is 10-0-1 with 10 knockouts. Krael, 141.2 lbs of Las Vegas is 17-17-3.

Lorenzo Simpson won an eight-round unanimous decision over Sonny Duversonne in a battle of undefeated middleweights.

Simpson controlled the action with his superior boxing ability.

In round sfive, Duversonne landed a right hand that forced Simpson’s left glove to touch the canvas and ruled a knockdown.

Simpson, 156 lbs of Baltimore, MD won by scores of 79-73 and 78-73 twice and is now 9-0. Duversonne, 154.8 lbs of Miami FL is 11-1-2.

Bryan Lua remained undefeated as he won a six-round unanimous decision over Nelson Colon in a lightweight bout.

Lua, 131.6 lbs of Malera, CA won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 7-0. Colon, 131.6 lbs of Cayey PR is 4-4.

Rashiem Jefferson remained undefeated with a four-round unanimous decision over Steve Garaganza in a junior featherweight bout.

In round three, Garaganza was cut over his left eye.

Jefferson, 123.8 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 40-36 on all cards, and is now 3-0. Garaganza, 123.5 lbs Laredo, TX is 2-3-1.

Kahshad Elliott made a successful pro debut with a 1st round destruction over Akeem Jackson in a scheduled six-round junior middleweight bout.

Elliott scored two knockdowns, with Jackson not wanting to get up before referee Michael Ortega’s 10-count at 1:15

Elliott, 152.8 lbs of Plainfield, NJ is 1-0 with one knockout. Jackson, 151.5 lbs of Oxon Hill, MD is 1-2.