ONE of the best possible matchups at super-featherweight could take place on August 12.
According to ESPN Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez are set to collide in Glendale, Arizona.
With crowd pleasing styles these two Mexican all-action fighters have the potential to put on a fight of the year contender.
Nothing has been confirmed by their promoters Top Rank who also promote a card on August 19 in Ontario where light-heavyweights Artur Beterbiev and Callum Smith will headline.
Both Navarette and Valdez have already fought in 2023 in very different encounters. On February 3 Australia’s Liam Wilson was close to pulling off an upset win in a thriller against Navarette. The one-time super-bantamweight and featherweight suffered the first knockdown of his career in round four but rallied to return the favour in the ninth before beating Wilson by stoppage.
Last month at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas on the Devin Haney-Vasiliy Lomachenko undercard Oscar Valdez returned for the first time since April 2022. The 32-year-old lost his unbeaten record against the gifted Shakur Stevenson 14 months ago but got back in the winning circle at the same venue with a commanding performance against Adam Lopez.
The 31st win of Valdez’ career was also his second against Lopez having beaten the Californian by seventh round stoppage in November 2019.
Navarette and Valdez were scheduled to face one another in February but the latter pulled out because of injury allowing Liam Wilson to step in.
Valdez called for the fight once again following his second win over Lopez. “We all want Emanuel Navarrete. Nothing but respect for him. He’s a great champion. The whole world wants to see that fight. Let’s make it happen now.”
