World No. 1 super-featherweight Charly Suarez can’t seem to get a break.
A few days ago, retired Ukrainian super fighter Vasyl Lomachenko expressed the desire to face Mexican two-belt world champion Emanuel Navarrete when he makes his comeback in the next few months.
Navarette, who holds the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Federation 130-pound straps, is mandated to face Suarez in a rematch following the controversial ending to their fight a year ago in San Diego, California.
The rematch between Navarrete and Suarez have suffered numerous delays and based on the recent development, the Filipino might end up clutching at straws once again.
For one, the WBO has expressed its approval for such a mouth-watering matchup involving the rugged Navarrete and the 38-year-old Lomachenko, who is best known for his overall ring excellence.
Suarez is now being promoted by the well-connected Uruguayan dealmaker Sampson Lewkowicz, who has promised his newly-acquired talent a well-deserved title shot soon.
To grease the path towards such a scenario, Lewkowicz, who was a key figure in Manny Pacquiao’s rise to stardom, has arranged a 10-round bout featuring Suarez against Manuel Avila at the Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco on 11 July.
To get ready for that, Suarez, who has an 18-0 win-loss record with ten knockouts, is training in Las Vegas under the watchful eyes of former national team buddy Delfin Boholst.
They have been there the last several weeks in pursuit of a world title opportunity.
But in the event Lomachenko proceeds with his plan to stage a ring return, Suarez’s long-awaited rematch with Navarrete will have to be sidelined again.
The Suarez-Navarrete clash was ruled a No-Contest by the California State Athletic Commission after a thorough review of the fight.
Earlier, Navarrete was declared winner by technical decision when referee Edward Collantes stopped the fight in the eighth round upon the advice of the ringside doctor as Navarrete’s cut near the eye was deemed dangerous.
Collantes had ruled that the wound was caused by an accidental clash of heads and not by a legal blow that was later confirmed when it was replayed all over and over by the commission.
An immediate rematch was then ordered but Navarrete was allowed to engage in a unification showdown with Mexican Eduardo Nunez, who he beat to annex the IBF belt to his WBO belt.