Emanuel Navarrete attempts to become a four-weight world champion this weekend, with the Mexican taking on the unbeaten Denys Berinchyk for the vacant WBO lightweight title.
Top Rank promote Navarrete vs Berinchyk, with ESPN on broadcast duties in the USA and Sky Sports holding the UK rights.
Navarrete (38-1-1, 31 KOs) first became world champion in 2018, outscoring Isaac Dogboe for the WBO super bantamweight title, making five defences before winning the vacant WBO featherweight belt in October 2020, taking a points win against Ruben Villa.
Three defences of that crown followed, and the 29-year-old then moved up again, winning the vacant WBO bauble at super featherweight, but he had to get off the floor to stop Liam Wilson in nine rounds last February.
He backed that up with an impressive win on the cards against Oscar Valdez six months later, but suffered a setback in his last outing, dropping Robson Conceicao twice, but having to settle for a draw in Las Vegas last November.
Berinchyk (18-0, 9 KOs) stands in Navarrete’s way, and he has campaigned mainly in his native Ukraine, before venturing to Tottenham Hotspur FC to take the European title in December 2022 via unanimous decision against Yvan Mendy.
The 36-year-old was last seen last August taking a decision against the faded Anthony Yigit in Poland.
Prediction: Navarrete has come through the weights over the years, and this will be another test for him at 135 pounds, but it’s one he can pass, and I think he can take a clear points win to become new champion.
When Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez lit up the desert last summer 🔥 pic.twitter.com/bfMp965dHW
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) May 14, 2024
Undefeated welterweights Santillan and Norman Jr clash
A welterweight twelve rounder heads the preliminaries, with Giovani Santillan and Brian Norman Jr.
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Santillan (32-0, 17 KOs) went up to twelve round level in his last fight, knocking out Alexis Rocha in six rounds to take the WBO NABO title, while Norman Jr (25-0, 19 KOs) has been at ten round level for his last two outings, the last a no contest against Janelson Figueroa Bocachica due to both suffering cuts.
Prediction: Santillan can take a points win here.
Return of Torrez Jr and Sheehy steps up:
In eight round action, heavyweight hope Richard Torrez Jr (9-0, 9 KOs) can continue his knockout streak against Brandon Moore (14-0, 8 KOs), and Charlie Sheehy (9-0, 5 KOs) should win on points against Manuel Jaimes (15-1-1, 11 KOs) at lightweight.
BULLDOZE’D.@RichardTorrez21 | Live on @ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/e2JsPw5721
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) March 30, 2024
Further undercard preview
Also at lightweight, Alan Garcia (12-0, 10 KOs) can win inside schedule against Wilfredo Flores (10-2-1, 5 KOs), while at featherweight, Jonathan Lopez (14-0, 10 KOs)can also win early in his clash against Edgar Ortega (14-2-2, 7 KOs).
The sole four rounder on the bill is a lightweight affair, and Jonathan Mansour should come through on the cards against Anel Dudo (3-5, 1 KO).
