Suarez, Navarrete dispute WBO crown

Barring any last-minute changes, Charly Suarez is going to get his long-awaited shot at a world crown on 10 May in San Diego, California.

The task is going to be daunting; the opponent formidable.

Emanuel Navarrete, he with the pelican jaw and known as “Vaquero” (Cowboy), is risking, not just the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super-featherweight title, but more importantly, his glowing reputation as the best in the 130-pound division.

Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc., the Las Vegas-based outfit, has promotional control over the two fighters and a deal is said to be in place.

A formal announcement is going to be made soon with Suarez’s benefactor — Ilocos Sur political heavyweight and sportsman Luis “Chavit” Singson — doing the honors.

Navarrete, 30, holds a sparkling win-loss-draw record of 39-2-1 with 32 knockouts and is known for being the scourge of Filipino fighters.

He has faced and beaten all four — Juan Miguel Elorde, Jeo Santisima, Glenn Poras and Jhon Genino — by knockout and is aiming to add Suarez to his growing list of victims.

Suarez, who turned professional six years ago after an extensive and rewarding amateur career, totes an 18-0-0 mark with 10 knockouts and has won all his last three fights on American soil.

The fighters Suarez beat soundly include the Hispanic trio of Yohan Vasquez, Luis Coria and Jorge Castañeda.

Before campaigning in the US, Suarez traveled to Sydney where he scored a dramatic last-round knockout of previously undefeated Australian Paul Fleming.

Presently, Suarez, 36, is training at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig but he and his chief handler and lead trainer Delfin Boholst are going to relocate to a Tagaytay City property owned by Singson soon for the most crucial stage of the preparation.

Singson doesn’t have an official contract with Suarez and swears he doesn’t intend to get a cut on the prize money.

Now it’s time for Suarez to reciprocate Singson’s generosity and all-out support by taking away Navarrete’s highly-coveted WBO belt and bringing it to the country.