One of the most explosive fighters of the last year-and-a-half will apparently go for his second world championship in another weight division in late September. That’s when Emanuel “El Vaquero” Navarrete will challenge for the WBO Featherweight Championship.
ESPN Deportes boxing insider, Salvador Rodriguez, reported Top Rank Boxing and Navarrete’s promoters are looking at the last two Saturdays at the end of next month:
Navarrete, who burst on the scene with an upset of WBO Junior Featherweight Champion Isaac Dogboe at Madison Square Garden in December 2018, went on to successfully defend his title four more times, all by knockout, last year. Those included a destruction rematch over Dogboe.
Then, in February, he dominated Filipino Contender Jeo Santisima by 11th round stoppage on the undercard of Fury-Wilder in Las Vegas.
After the resumption of fights, Navarrete was back in action on the Top Rank show at the Mexican TV Azteca Studios without fans in June. That’s when he moved up to 126 lb. and battered little known Mexican club fighter, Uriel Lopez, for six rounds before getting a TKO in the main event.
Navarrete, 31-1, 27 KOs, officially vacated his WBO 122 lb. belt and was installed as the number one contender by them at Featherweight. That title has now been vacated, as well, by unbeaten rising American star, Shakur Stevenson, who is looking for bigger paydays either at 130 lb. or eventually at Lightweight.
As for Magdaleno, he is a Las Vegas native and the number two ranked contender by the WBO. And, he has previously, challenged Dogboe unsuccessfully for the title in April of 2018 with Dogboe scoring a 10th round TKO. That handed Magdaleno his only professional loss to date.
Magdaleno, 28-1, 18 KOs, was most recently in the ring in the top-ranked MGM Grand “bubble” back in June. That’s he was winning easily over journeymen Yenifel Vicente, when Vicente repeatedly continued to hit him with low blows and was eventually disqualified in the 9th round.
It is likely that the Navarrete – Magdaleno fight will be held again in Las Vegas, but without fans and probably, back at the MGM Grand “bubble.” However, the reports have not specified, a location, as of yet.
–bigfightweekend.com
