Suarez camp to Navarrete: Vacate WBO throne
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As reports continue to swirl that World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-featherweight champion Mexican Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete is bypassing Charly Suarez for the second straight time, the Filipino fighter’s camp has come up with one solid suggestion.
“If Navarrete intends to face another fighter other Charly, I would suggest that Navarrete relinquishes the WBO crown so Charly can fight for the vacant title,” trainer-manager Delfin Boholst told DAILY TRIBUNE on Sunday.
“It’s just not fair that Charly gets passed over when he is the WBO’s mandatory challenger to Navarrete’s title,” added Boholst.
Navarrete’s people are said to be in the final stages of talks with World Boxing Council titleholder O’Shaquie Foster for a three-belt showdown in late-October in San Antonio, Texas.
Early this year, Navarrete was allowed to do a unification fight with then-IBF champion Eduardo Nunez of Mexico in Arizona.
Under the rules, a unification fight supersedes a mandatory defense.
But according to Suarez’s new promoter Sampson Lewkowicz, doing back-to-back unification matches are frowned upon.
“It would truly be very sad if Charly doesn’t get his chance to fight for the world title,” said Boholst, who is Suarez’s longtime buddy stretching back to their days in the national team.
In the latest WBO ratings, Suarez remains on top of the list being the mandatory challenger.
Last month, the Philippine Army puncher knocked out Manuel Avila in just one round in san Bernardino, California.
At No. 2 is Australian Liam Wilson, who had fought and lost to Navarrete in 2023.
Wilson, younger than Suarez by eight years at 30, holds an 18-3-1 win-loss-draw card with 10 knockouts.
At No. 3 is Japanese Kenichi Ogawa, who parades a 31-2-1-1 (win-loss-draw-No Contest) ledger with 22 knockouts and he could be asked to step up in case Wilson won’t fight.
Suarez, packing a 19-0-1 (win-loss-No Contest) mark with 11 knockouts, is currently in training mode in Las Vegas, getting ready just in case a call comes asking him to fight for the title.
Suarez’s status as Navarrete’s mandatory challenger dates back to 2025 after the two had battled to a No-Contest in San Diego, California.
Initially, the fight was declared a technical decision win for Navarrete but referee Ed Collantes made such a bad call that he missed ruling a legal blow scored by Suarez.
If only he made the right call—calling a left hand that opened a hideous cut on Navarrete—Suarez would have been declared winner and new WBO champion.
The WBO was forced to classify Suarez as mandatory challenger on the strength of the result that was confirmed even by the California State Athletic Commission.
However, it remains to be seen if justice will indeed be served.
