Emanuel Navarrete beat Oscar Valdez by unanimous decision in August 2023
Bob Arum tells Lance Pugmire that WBO super featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete’s mandated rematch with Oscar Valdez will land at Glendale’s Desert Diamond Arena on December 7th.
The same venue hosted their first fight and also hosts Jaime Munguia’s Top Rank debut three months prior.
Navarrete’s (38-2-1, 31 KO) and Valdez’s (32-2, 24 KO) battle was entertaining and competitive but quite decisive, with Navarrete just out-hustling Valdez down the stretch despite apparently aggravating a hand injury in the middle rounds. What makes this rematch interesting is that the two are in very different places compared to the first time; Navarrete seemed like he may have bought into his own hype in his draw with Robson Conceicao and loss to Denys Berinchyk, while Valdez is riding high after ending a three-year knockout drought by stopping Liam Wilson.
By all accounts, this is the best shot Valdez will get at conquering his foe.
That said, it does suck that both men will settle for two fights this year. Valdez will have been out for eight months by the time they run it back.
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