BEWARE OF SUAREZ: Arum: Underdog Filipino challenger has a ‘helluva shot’

Don’t count Charly Suarez out against Emanuel Navarrete.

Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum told a group of Filipino reporters via zoom on Thursday that Navarrete, who will risk the World Boxing Organization super-featherweight crown on Saturday (Sunday in Manila), is in for a rough ride.

“(Suarez) has got a helluva shot with Navarrete,” Arum, whose promotional outfit Top Rank is staging this weekend’s big card at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California.

“Navarette is a very exciting fighter, a tremendous puncher. No style at all and in Charly Suarez, he (Navarrete) is fighting a very disciplined fighter who has had a tremendous amateur background and experience,” said the 93-year-old Harvard-educated lawyer.

If victorious, Arum said Suarez, who is 36 years old, will get “some decent money and end his career on a high, high note.”

“At this stage, he’s not a young guy winning a title. He has three years to fight big fights at 130. “(He’s not) fighting more than five years realistically three years after he wins the title.

Navarrete, who sports a 39-2-1 win-loss-draw record with 32 knockouts, “is a very strange guy.”

“He goes in there without any care in the world. He just comes to fight and have a good time. Very unorthodox. He fights like he’s in a bar fight.”

Suarez, unbeaten in 18 fights with 10 knockouts, is someone not to be taken for granted and Navarrete should take heed.

“He’s fighting Navarrete and he’s fighting just one way and to knock out his opponent. Charly has to be careful of the power Navarrete has. Outbox him in every turn and win a decision fight. Now could he possibly knock Navarrete out? Sure. Navarrete is careless and throws punches and he’s getting exposed.”

Arum, who began promoting in 1996 with Muhammad Ali, warns that “if Navarrete gets overly careless, he gets knocked out.”

Suarez, who won medals for the Philippines in the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games, arrived in the United States on 21 April after spending training camp in Metro Manila and Tagaytay City with lead trainer Delfin Boholst.

Meanwhile, Arum’s Q&A with the media also came during the launch of Top Rank Plus, an app that allows subscribers in the Philippines to watch fights the Las Vegas-based company has promoted.

The classic bouts of Manny Pacquiao, Nonito Donaire and even Jerwin Ancajas and Top Rank’s other smash hits are also included in the attractive monthly package of $4.99 (P279).