PASSIVE RESISTANCE

After getting passed over the second straight time, Filipino fighter Charly Suarez believes “everything happens for a reason” and feels that when his time comes the result would be immensely satisfying.

Suarez was supposed to be battling Mexican Emanuel Navarrete, holder of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-featherweight titles, being the WBO’s mandatory challenger.

But the WBO, instead of giving Suarez his right to challenge, approved Navarrete’s unification showdown with the World Boxing Council (WBC) titlist O’Shaquie Foster on 24 October in Texas.

Earlier this year, Navarrete had been permitted to meet Eduardo Nuñez, also a Mexican, from whom he took the IBF 130-pound strap from.

“I have done everything to earn the status of mandatory challenger and it’s no longer in my control if I don’t get what I truly deserve,” Suarez told DAILY TRIBUNE hours after being told of the WBO’s approval of Navarrete’s clash with Foster.

That WBO correspondence also stated that the winner of the Navarrete-Foster duel should fight Suarez.

“I have come to accept that I am up against big personalities in boxing,” said the unbeaten Suarez, who turns 38 next month.

Suarez became Navarrete’s mandatory challenger on the strength of their highly-controversial bout held in May last year in San Diego, California.

But the WBO has continuously downplayed Suarez’s ranking and status by allowing Navarrete to engage in a second straight unification match.

“I feel that my time will come at the right time,” said the deeply-religious Suarez, who is in training mode in Las Vegas.

Even with the WBO’s stipulation that he will be meeting the survivor of the Navarrete-Foster bout, Suarez is not getting excited.

“Not really,” he said, noting that should Navarrete become a three-belt champion, he will look to unify all four and go after the final piece, the World Boxing Association jewels.

“He’s trying to make more money (by not giving me a rematch).”

But Suarez, who has won 18 fights, is keeping a positive mindset despite all these problems.

“Perhaps, there’s a reason why I am going all through these but I am just keeping the faith that one day, I will get to fight for the world title.”

Who knows, Suarez said, “maybe Navarrete’s collecting all the belts so could give them all to me when we finally meet again in the ring.”

And if that happens, Suarez, a member of the Philippine Army, already has something in mind.

“If I become undisputed champion, I will retire (without ever having to defend all of them).”

“That would be something that’s never been done and that’s something that I would do because everything is not about money in this world,” he said.

In the event that happens, apart from all four belts, Suarez deserves to be given a medal.