Emanuel Navarrete (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
WBO junior lightweight champion Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez Jr. met for the second time on Saturday night in Phoenix, Arizona. Navarrete won the first meeting, and Saturday night’s rematch was even more lopsided than the first fight.
Navarrete dropped Valdez three times en route to a sensational sixth-round KO with a devastating body shot. Here is a look at the finish:
Navarrete looked as good as we’ve ever seen him. His punch variety, accuracy, and power were on an elite level. There were aspects of the performance that resembled Roberto Duran, and other parts felt like Navarrete was channeling Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.
That was especially the case with the KO via liver shot. The win puts Navarrete in a class with Mexican legends who delivered memorable liver-shot KOs, further cementing his legacy as one of the sport’s finest body punchers.
Navarrete out-landed Valdez 105-78 in total punches and 78-66 with power shots. Valdez was fighting moving backward the entire fight. He was never able to catch Navarrete with a shot that slowed the onslaught.
Valdez was down in the first, third, and again in the sixth when he was counted out. Here is a look at the CompuBox stats.
Navarrete – Valdez
At the time of the finish, Navarrete was up by a ton on the judges scorecards, per this post from longtime boxing journalist Dan Rafael.
After the fight, Valdez was asked about his future. Some boxing pundits, including former world champion Chris Algieri, had suggested Valdez should consider retirement if he lost the rematch.
Valdez made no mention of hanging up his gloves, though he was clearly distraught during his post-fight interview. It’s clear Navarrete has his number. It’s one of those matchups that would likely go Navarrete’s way no matter how many times the two meet.
Valdez had never been stopped before Saturday, and he’s only 33. However, he has been involved in some wars, so there is some wear on his tires. We’ll see what his next steps are in the ring or if he will reconsider his decision to continue his career.
Valdez’s career may hinge on a potential fight against a mid-tier opponent to assess his remaining ability, or he could pursue a different weight class where he may have more success.
As for Navarrete, he has big plans for 2025. He wants to have two more fights at 130 pounds before moving up for mega fights at 135 pounds. There’s an obvious unification fight for Navarrete against WBC champion O’Shaquie Foster, who was in attendance.
That fight should be easy to make considering both are with Top Rank. Foster took to X after the fight to call for the unification.
There is also a potential fight with IBF champion Anthony Cacace. WBA champion Lamont Roach Jr. is moving up to 135 pounds to take on Gervonta Davis in a fight no one expects him to win.
When Roach comes back down to 130 pounds, he’s another potential opponent for Navarrete at super featherweight. Things could get really interesting for Navarrete if he moves up to 135 pounds.
Davis, Shakur Stevenson, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and Denys Berinchyk could provide Navarrete with the big-name opponents he’s seeking and an opportunity to win a title in a higher weight class.
If Navarrete can maintain the form he showed on Saturday, he could be a handful for most opponents.
