After a brilliant performance this past weekend, Emanuel Navarrete expressed his willingness to face Shakur Stevenson next if his team and promoter agree after a career-defining win over Oscar Valdez. Navarrete who outpointed Valdez in a brutal and bloody fight won by the scores of 119-109, 118-110, and 116-112.
One key factor in the bout was Navarrete's substantial reach advantage over the smaller Valdez. Despite being a three-division world champion, Navarrete has a 72" reach, Stevenson is listed at a 68" reach meaning Navarrete if he were to move up in weight would have a reach advantage over Stevenson.
“I’m going to rest and think about that in one or two weeks,” said Navarrete after his win Saturday to a scrum of media.“I wouldn’t turn away from that fight."
Navarrete, who is co-pomoted by Top Rank Inc., who also promotes Shakur Stevenson, will play a key role in whether this bout could be made or not. The big thing that the win on Saturday left many wonder was...what is the next big fight Navarrete can have at the super featherweight division? As Oscar Valdez might just be the most famous fighter in the division currently, and Navarrete won in a fashion in which a rematch would take some doing from both fighters to get fan interest back up for it.
At the lightweight division, two big names stand-out, Shakur Stevenson and Vasiliy Lomachenko. The only name that might be of interest soon could be Luis Alberto Lopez, the WBO featherweight champion, who apparently wants to fight Navarrete and might meet at the super featherweight division.
“It’s something that I would have to think about and talk to my promoter and my team and see if Shakur intends on fighting someone like me as well," said Navarrete.
Stevenson took to Twitter and stated the following, as Stevenson is fine with a catchweight fight, but wants to become a three-division world champion, first.
Yeah I wouldn’t mind it at all tbh.. Just gotta get this belt at 135 first and we can square up at a catch weight if he wit it https://t.co/zaYoEO4TU3
— Shakur Stevenson (@ShakurStevenson) August 13, 2023
