Who U?
Suarez gets avoided like the plague

Charly Suarez (right) gives Mexican champion Emanuel Navarrete all the reason to avoid a rematch.
Photograph courtesy of Top Rank
The camp of Chary Suarez is willing to accept a step-aside fee so an all-Mexican super-featherweight war between Emanuel Navarrete and Eduardo Nunez could take place in early-March at the Footprints Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
“That’s going to be beneficial for us, actually,” Delfin Boholst, the Filipino fighter’s chief trainer, told DAILY TRIBUNE.
Surez holds the World Boxing Organization (WBO) title while Nunez has the International Boxing Federation (IBF) jewels, making their showdown a unification clash.
“If that’s the case, we will go after two world titles,” Boholst, who was a contemporary of Suarez during their national team days, said.
Reports form the US have confirmed that a deal has been reached and Suarez will be getting a step-aside fee for not hindering the fan-friendly encounter between the two world champions.
Suarez was installed by the WBO as its mandatory challenger after the controversial ending to his bout with Navarrete last May in San Diego, California.
Referee Ed Collantes had ruled that it was a punch — and not a clash heads — that opened a hideous cut on Navarrete’s left eyebrow in the eighth round.
The official decision made was a technical decision victory for Suarez, who was deemed unfit to continue. All the judges had it in favor Navarrete with scores of 78-75, 77-76 and 77-76.
Suarez’s camp filed a protest with the California State Athletic Commission, which later overturned the decision into a No-Contest, allowing Suarez to keep his unbeaten record intact.
The WBO then ordered a rematch be held as soon as Suarez heals from his injury.
But Top Rank, which promotes Navarrete and even Suarez, is trying to put together a unification fight, leaving the Davao del Norte native o the sidelines anew.
Boholst feels Navarrete is avoiding a rematch with Suarez following the questionable ending to their initial fight.
Suarez, 37, proved to be a dangerous foe given his style and a second meeting could be risky for Navarrete.
Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti also told this paper that Navarrete and Nunez have yet to agree.
“Too many things must fall into place for unification to happen," Moretti said in an email.
“Until those things do we're just exploring all possibilities. A very fluid situation on all fronts,” he added.
Boholst said that Ilocos Sur politician-sportsman Luis “Chavit” Singson, who serves as Suarez’s de facto manager, will call a press conference once a decision has been made by Top Rank.
