New champ avoiding Suarez?

Charly Suarez can’t afford to think that his long wait is about to come to an end.

On paper, Suarez should get his world title shot in April next year.

But given boxing’s unpredictability, the Filipino fighter might end up being left out in the cold for the third straight time.

Suarez is the World Boxing Organization (WBO) mandatory challenger in the super-featherweight ranks, a stature he earned when he fought Emanuel Navarrete last year in San Diego, California.

But now that Navarrete is no longer champion—following his loss to World Boxing Council titlist O’Shaquie Foster in San Antonio, Texas, over the weekend—Suarez might get passed over anew.

Foster’s dominating win over Navarrete made him a three-belt champion since Navarrete came into the fight holding the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Federation straps.

After the win, Foster made mention about his willingness to face Suarez but also floated the idea that he might go after the last piece of the puzzle that will make him the 130-pound division’s undisputed champion.

The World Boxing Association title is still out there and bypassing Suarez would expedite his mission of unifying all championship belts.

Suarez, meanwhile, is still hoping that Foster fulfills his promise and the WBO finally upholds his status as mandatory challenger.

“I just wish that he doesn’t break his promise and the WBO also follows the mandate,” said Suarez, who turns 39 next year.

As this developed, there are talks that Foster could also defend against Vasyl Lomachenko or Lomachencko ends up tangling with Suarez with the winner earning a shot at Foster.

Either way, Suarez is at a disadvantage since he is already a mandatory challenger and already guaranteed a shot.