WBO super featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete put on an act during his title bout against Charly Suarez in San Diego last Saturday. Just moments earlier, a powerful left hook thrown by Suarez from his southpaw stance had split open two layers of skin above Navarrete’s left eyebrow. Feeling the impact clearly, Navarrete took advantage of a minor collision of heads shortly after. He promptly signaled to referee Edward Collantes about what seemed like unintentional contact, using this distraction as a way to divert focus away from the significant blow delivered by Suarez.
Navarrette's assertion shaped the decision that the injury resulted from an unintentional head butt. Although replays were scarce, esteemed official Jack Reiss examined the footage and supported Collantes' verdict. Veteran global referee Ver Abainza stated that if a twelve-round match is halted after only four rounds owing to one boxer being unable to proceed due to an inadvertent head butt, then judges should refer to the scorecards for a technical outcome, regardless of whether subsequent blows exacerbate the wound.
In the beginning of the seventh round, it seemed that Navarrete’s team had managed the cut using a coagulant. However, as Navarrete started to tire, Suarez took over dominance. A crucial change came when Suarez shifted his focus, aggressively attacking Navarrete to limit room for his wide swings. Another tactical move by Suarez involved switching between orthodox and southpaw stances, which left Navarrete vulnerable to counterattacks. The three judges gave the seventh round win to Suarez, clearly indicating that Navarrete was falling behind. Two out of the three judges even scored the previous round in favor of Suarez, showing an evident pattern. At this juncture, Navarrete’s supporters believed he led on points; thus, ending the fight could secure his title.
Suarez mentioned that if the match persisted, Navarrete would've remained prepared. It's worth noting that the Mexican fighter had to weigh in again the previous day, indicating potential fatigue as they likely weren't at their best condition. Navarrete doesn't have a reputation for being diligent during training sessions. The championship team then enlisted strength and conditioning trainer Memo Heredia to tackle this problem; however, developing self-discipline can't simply be learned—it has to come from within. With just a minute remaining in the eighth round, the ring doctor, Dr. Ramon Ruelas, deemed Navarrete unable to carry on, leading referee Collantes to stop the bout. Was there an arrangement between the Mexican fighters aimed at aiding Navarrete? Despite having won according to all three judges' scores initially, two of those decisions were very close—one point apart—meaning these margins could easily vanish with further rounds played out. Adding confusion to the scenario was evidence revealed afterward through edited footage confirming the injury resulted directly from a blow dealt by Suarez, suggesting a technical knockout win might have been more appropriate for him under such circumstances.
Malaking chance niya si Charly na manalo kung hindi natigilan, habang maaaring mahirapan nang makita ni Navarrete dahil sa 'cut'," ani Miguel Elorde na dating tumatalong laban sa Mehikanong iyon. "Alam ko talaga ang plano nila ay walang-lusutan upang humingi sila ng rebistra pagkatapos, depende lamang sa kakayahang umaksay ni Navarrete. Kung hindi ganon, sasalamin si Charlie laban sa pangatlo na sinaunang champion na si Kenichi Ogawa para sa patlang karera; pwedeng mangyari yan sa Japan dahil kay Gino Kong Akihiko Honda nagmumula si Ogawa.
Definitely, there was an act of unfairness in San Diego, with Navarrete employing some deceptive tactics to prevent Suarez from securing his imminent victory. Despite this, Suarez did not voice any complaints and gracefully stated that he would continue to honor the referee’s call. He also expressed gratitude towards the Mexican spectators who attended the match. It seems probable that Navarrete might progress to the lightweight division and steer clear of facing Suarez once more.