Emanuel Navarrete successfully defended his WBO super-featherweight championship, securing a technical decision victory over Charly Suarez in California last night. The bout ended controversially in the eighth round, two sessions after a severe cut opened above Navarrete’s left eye in the sixth round.
The cut was caused by a swiping left hand from Suarez, an active member of the Filipino army. However, the referee ruled that the injury resulted from a head clash, a judgment not clearly supported by replays. The California State Athletic Commission, overseen by figures including former referee Jack Reiss, reportedly struggled to reach a definitive conclusion.
Despite the lack of clear evidence from replays, the initial ruling of a headbutt stood. When the ringside doctor determined in the eighth round that Navarrete’s cut was too severe to allow the fight to continue, the contest went to the judges’ scorecards. Navarrete was ahead, leading 77-76 on two cards and 78-75 on the third, which allowed him to retain his title. However, discussion and disagreement regarding the ending persisted, with some speculation suggesting the outcome might potentially be changed to a no-contest.
Before the premature stop, the fight unfolded in a manner typical of Navarrete (40-2-1, 32 KOs) bouts, featuring aggressive, sometimes wild exchanges, potentially influenced by his challenging weight cut and unique physical build. Suarez (18-1, 10 KOs), seizing a major career opportunity against the three-weight world champion, showed resilience despite being hurt to the body multiple times and continued to push for a win.
The inconclusive nature of the stoppage arguably deprived the challenger of a clear chance at victory. While the champion naturally asserted the cut was from a headbutt, social media replays circulating online do not conclusively support this. Given the contentious conclusion, a rematch appears to be the most logical next step.
