Navarrete Stops Valdez With A Brutal Body Shot
Emanuel Navarrete retained his WBO Junior Lightweight Title by stopping Oscar Valdez in devastating fashion in the sixth round.
The fight was a rematch of their first clash, which Navarrete won. However, the two fighters had contrasting fortunes heading into the fight. Navarrete lost his last fight after he decided to move up to 135 pounds. He took on Denys Berinchyk for the vacant WBO Lightweight Title, coming up short in a split decision. Meanwhile, Valdez stopped Liam Wilson to win the interim belt, making him mandatory for Navarrete. In the first fight, Navarrete threw more than a thousand punches. He did not need as many this time, as he got the job done quickly.
Valdez started well in the opener, using his lateral movement well. He was targeting the body after which he would clinch. But out of nowhere, Navarrete dropped Valdez with a left when the latter was ducking low.
Navarrete Takes Control
Navarrete was now landing on the body and upstairs, but Valdez continued to move forward. Valdez landed a right hand, which got the crowd going in round two. But Navarrete hit back with a thudding left, only for Valdez to counter. Neither man was slowing down. The third round was more even, with Valdez managing to calm things down. However, Navarrete was still throwing combinations.
A big left hand rocked Valdez in round four, only for him to be held up by the ropes. Valdez returned fire as the pair exchanged. But Navarrete caught Valdez with a quick right hand, followed by combos, to send Valdez to the floor near the end of the round.
The writing was now on the wall. And the stoppage came in the sixth. A left uppercut shook Valdez’s legs that saw Valdez spit his mouth guard out. Navarrete followed up with a right uppercut. Valdez tucked his elbows in, leaving Navarrete to land a left hook to the liver. Valdez could not recover as he failed to beat the count. Navarrete must now decide if he wants to stay at 130 or try again at 135.
“He kept coming forward so what I had to do was stop him in his tracks. You are now witnessing the second stage of my career,” Navarrete stated
“I take my hat off to him,” Valdez said
Full Results
Emanuel Navarrete beat Oscar Valdez via sixth-round stoppage (junior lightweight)
Rafael Espinoza stopped Robeisy Ramirez in round 6 (TKO) (featherweight)
Lindolfo Delgado beat Jackson Marinez by TKO in round 5 (super lightweight).
Giovani Santillan stopped Fredrick Lawson in round 1 (welterweight).
Richard Torrez Jr. defeated Isaac Munoz Gutierrez by TKO in round 3 (heavyweight).
Demler Zamora stopped Roman Ruben Reynoso in round 2 (super featherweight).
Albert Gonzalez beat Gerardo Antonio Perez by unanimous decision (80-72, 80-72, 79-73; super featherweight).
Art Barrera Jr. stopped Juan Carlos Campos Medina in round 2 (welterweight).
Steven Navarro defeated Gabriel Bernardi Cruz by TKO in round 2 (super flyweight).
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