Jonathan Navarro is packing more than his gloves for his December 7 showdown in Waterford, Ireland. He’s also bringing a dose of nostalgia for his amateur days when he represented USA Boxing around the globe.
Navarro faces Jair Valtierra in a 10-round fight on ProBox TV on December 7 at SETU Arena in Waterford, Ireland. It will be the junior welterweight Navarro’s first fight outside the United States as a professional and, for him, feels like a homecoming of sorts, even if the venue itself is thousands of miles from his California roots.
“For the pros – no, I haven’t fought abroad before,” Navarro said. “But I’ve represented the USA and traveled around the world. So, pro-wise, this will be my first time out of the country, and I’m very excited. I hope the Irish fans love my performance and want to see me fight again.”
Standing across from him will be 23-year-old Valtierra of Mexico, a durable contender with a record of 17-3 (9 KOs). Despite recent losses to Top Rank standouts Raymond Muratalla and Lindolfo Delgado, Navarro isn’t underestimating his opponent.
“He’s Mexican, so I’m expecting heart,” Navarro said. “I’m expecting him to come forward and to not give up. We’re ready to go all 10 rounds if we have to.”
Navarro’s return to boxing has been anything but smooth. In July, he ended a five-year layoff caused by a biceps injury, grinding out a decision win over Clarence Booth in a fight that was as much about shaking off rust as it was about victory.
“Well, during the fight, my body wasn’t responding the way it did in sparring,” Navarro admitted. “The bright lights, the crowd – it’s a whole different ball game. But Booth was surprising, very strong. I would say he’s the hardest opponent I’ve ever had.”
Reflecting on a pivotal win over Damon Allen in 2018, and the lessons learned from Booth, Navarro is focused on building momentum. Training in Long Beach with his amateur coach Sal Zavala and sparring at Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Riverside, he believes he’s primed for a strong performance in Ireland.
“I studied Valtierra a lot,” Navarro said. “Timing will be key, and I’m just excited. Hopefully, after this fight, we get something big – maybe a top-10 or top-5 ranked opponent.”
Lucas Ketelle is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of “Inside The Ropes of Boxing” (available on Amazon). Contact him on X @LukieBoxing.
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