Emanuel Navarrete Secures Technical Decision Victory to Defend WBO Junior Lightweight Title
Emanuel Navarrete retained his WBO junior lightweight title with a technical decision victory over Charly Suarez after an accidental head clash halted the fight.

Navarrete Dominates Early Rounds
Emanuel Navarrete showcased his prowess in the early rounds of the bout, outclassing Charly Suarez with precise combinations and powerful uppercuts. By the end of the fifth round, Navarrete had established a clear lead, landing significant punches that kept Suarez on the defensive.
Accidental Head Clash Halts Fight
The turning point came in the sixth round when an accidental clash of heads opened a severe cut over Navarrete's left eye. Despite the injury, Navarrete continued to fight, but the cut significantly impaired his vision, leading to the fight being stopped at the start of the eighth round.
Technical Decision Declared
With the fight halted, the decision went to the scorecards. All three judges scored in favor of Navarrete, with scores of 76-75, 77-76, and 77-76, allowing him to retain his WBO junior lightweight title.
Navarrete's Post-Fight Comments
"I felt strong and complete during the fight," Navarrete stated. "The head-butt was unfortunate, but I'm grateful for the victory and the support from my team."
Future Prospects
Navarrete, who has previously held titles in multiple weight classes, hinted at a possible move back to the lightweight division for his next fight. "We need to recover from the cut first, but we'll make a decision on whether to stay at 130 pounds or move up to 135," he said.
Co-Main Event: Muratalla Wins IBF Interim Lightweight Title
In the co-main event, Raymond Muratalla secured a unanimous decision victory over Zaur Abdullaev to claim the vacant IBF interim lightweight title. Muratalla dominated the fight, landing punches in double digits in 10 of the 12 rounds.
Muratalla Eyes Lomachenko
Muratalla expressed his desire to face IBF titleholder Vasiliy Lomachenko next. "I'm the mandatory challenger, and it would be an honor to fight him," Muratalla said.
CompuBox Punch Stats
Category | Navarrete | Suarez |
---|---|---|
Total Landed | 98 | 86 |
Total Thrown | 366 | 412 |
Percent | 26.8% | 20.9% |
Jabs Landed | 16 | 11 |
Jabs Thrown | 114 | 110 |
Percent | 14% | 10% |
Power Landed | 82 | 75 |
Power Thrown | 252 | 302 |
Percent | 32.5% | 24.8% |