On Saturday night February 28th, a potentially explosive unified junior lightweight title showdown in Arizona takes place with WBO champ Emanuel Navarrete meeting IBF 130 b. title holder Eduardo "Sugar" Nunez.
Coming up Saturday night, we could be in for a highly entertaining offensive showdown, as Emanuel Navarrete faces Eduardo "Sugar" Nunez in a high-stakes, unified junior lightweight title clash.
The scheduled 12 rounder will take place at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, AZ, promoted by Matchroom Boxing with Top Rank Boxing assisting. The bout is streaming live on DAZN, with Navarrete’s putting his WBO title and Nunez’s his IBF 130 lb. belt up in this match-up.
The Mexican Navarrete, 39-2-1, 32 KOs, is the more "known commodity" having headlined numerous ESPN/Top Rank title main events over the past 6-7 years, and he's a three division world champ. However, he is coming off a controversial no-contest against Filipino contender Charly Suarez. That fight last May saw Navarrete cut in the 7th round from what was initially thought to be a clash of heads that rendered him unable to continue. The fight went to the scorecards and Navarette was declared the winner on a technical decision.
However, later after the fight a high definition replay from ESPN showed that it was actually a Suarez right hand that struck and cut Navarrete's eye before the clinch that was thought to have cut him. That difference led California officials and the WBO turning the result into the no-contest with Navarrete still retaining his belt.
He previously held titles at junior featherweight and featherweight, including a streak of winning 12 title fights in a row at one point.
Meanwhile, the fellow Mexican Nunez, 29-1, 27 KOs, most recently defeated Christopher Diaz by decision last September in his first defense, but not without overcoming Diaz shaking him up with shots a couple of times. Nunez had won the title in May traveling to Japan and beating Masanori Rikiishi over 12 rounds. Previous to that win, the 28 year old Nunez had scored a staggering 16 straight knockouts in his rise up the 130 lb. rankings.
Stylistically, the matchup is fascinating. Nunez is a sharp body puncher who works effectively behind his jab and can operate at any range. Navarrete’s awkward movement and bombing punches out of the southpaw stance make him unpredictable and dangerous.
Nunez was well aware of this leading up to the fight.
“The style matchup between myself and Emanuel Navarrete, I feel it will be a war from the very first round,” Nunez told The Ring Magazine earlier this week. “I don’t believe this fight goes 12 rounds. And to be completely honest with you, I don’t see myself losing. I have a winning mentality going into this difficult 12 rounds and really believe I’ll come out the winner.”
Now, we wait to see if this one lives up to the promise of two hard punchers slugging it out for a large prize.