EMANUEL Navarrete believes more than just his WBO super-featherweight will be on the line in his title defence against Oscar Valdez. The pair clash in the Footprint Arena, Arizona, on Saturday evening (December 7) as part of an intriguing ESPN double-header that sees Ricardo Espinoza defend his WBO featherweight title against the man he snatched it from, Robeisy Ramirez.
Like Espinoza-Ramirez, Navarrete-Valdez is a rematch. They already clashed in August 2023, where Navarrete defeated Valdez by scores of 116-112, 118-110 and 119-109. The fight felt closer and more competitive than the last two totals suggest. It was a fierce, passionate battle that saw Navarrete use his power and guile to edge ahead down the stretch. A nationalistic rivalry means he is not taking anything for granted in the return fixture.
“There is a lot of pride at stake, especially in a Mexico vs. Mexico battle. When you have that dynamic, there’s always…
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