Keeping the faith: Suarez remains patient amid WBO mess

World No. 1 super-featherweight Charly Suarez has accepted the fact that he may not get his much-coveted chance at getting back at Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete of Mexico.

“That’s how it is,” Suarez told DAILY TRIBUNE on Monday, just days after returning to the country after spending a considerable amount of time in the United States.

“I guess, I will just have to wait for another opportunity,” added the soft-spoken from Mindanao as it appears that even with his status as the World Boxing Organization (WBO) mandatory challenger, a title crack won’t materialize.

The WBO has instructed the winner of the 24 October three-belt showdown between Navarrete and American O’Shaquie Foster to defend against Suarez by April 2027.

Foster holds the World Boxing Council 130-pound jewels while Navarrete has the WBO and the International Boxing Federation (IBF) straps.

Despite Suarez’s lofty status, the WBO approved Navarrete’s request to figure in a second straight unification match.

The first unification match was against Eduardo Nuñez in an all-Mexican encounter Suarez won to annex the IBF belt last February in Arizona.

Even Delfin Boholst, who serves as the fighter’s chief handler and lead trainer, feels that the Navarrete rematch is not going to happen.

“I am no longer looking forward to it because of what has happened,” said Boholst, who was a longtime teammate of Suarez during their respective stints in the national team.

In May last year, Suarez battled Navarrete in a highly-controversial fight in Las Vegas that was initially ruled a victory for Navarrete.

But a thorough review forced it being overturned and changed to a No-Contest by the California State Athletic Commission.

Boholst said Uruguayan-American promoter Sampson Lewkowicz is trying his best to come up with something for Suarez early next year.

“Time is running out for Charly. This is my main concern,” added Boholst, referring to his boxer being 38 years old.

Suarez hasn’t fought since knocking out Manuel Avila in just one round in San Bernardino, California, last July.