Bullying tactics?

The camp of Charly Suarez is not asking Top Rank for the moon and the stars as the Las Vegas-based promotional outfit goes ahead with the plan to stage a marquee matchup taking place in late-February 2026 in Arizona.

“What we are just after is something that is fair for Charly,” said the boxer’s chief trainer Delfin Boholst.

Instead of setting up a rematch between Suarez and World Boxing Organization (WBO) super-featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete, Top Rank is proceeding with a unification fight featuring Navarrete against International Boxing Federation titlist Eduardo Nunez in an all-Mexico showdown.

Boholst insists that the WBO’s ruling that Suarez be granted a return match should be followed rather than delay the Filipino fighter’s much-deserved shot at Navarrete.

Navarrete was declared winner by eight-round technical decision after their duel last May in San Diego, California, but the California State Athletic Commission reversed it to a No-Contest when it was discovered that referee Ed Collantes made a blunder.

Collantes ruled that a clash of heads — and not a legal blow — caused a cut on Navarrete’s left eyebrow.

Suarez’s camp said that if only Collantes made the correct call, Navarrete would have lost by technical knockout and surrendered his WBO 130-pound title.

Carl Moretti, Top Rank vice-president for Operations, insists that his company can push through with the Navarrete-Nunez clash as WBO rules allow a unification bout to happen as it has more weight than a mandatory fight.

Suarez, who turns 38 next year, has forwarded a letter to the WBO for assistance on the matter.

To appease Suarez, Top Rank is offering him a fight on 24 January.

Boholst believes that they should be offered a step-aside fee instead of a fight given Suarez’s status as Navarrete’s mandatory challenger.

“We are willing to step aside but they have to grant us a step-aside fee,” Boholst said.

Assisting Suarez and Boholst in their fight against the Bob Arum-owned Top rank is Ricky Navalta, who was handpicked by Suarez’s de facto manager Luis “Chavit” Singson to handle the negotiations.

“We are being bullied,” Boholst added.

Moretti said that if Suarez doesn’t accept the fight offer in January, “it’s their choice.”