ISAAC DOGBOE is taking a gamble. He lost his world title last time out, losing a punishing contest and the WBO super-bantamweight crown to Mexico’s Emanuel Navarrete.
The defeat upended all the momentum Dogboe had built up in a sequence of impressive wins on ESPN. Now he is going straight back into a rematch to reclaim his world title. It is a risk to immediately box Navarrete again. The Ghanaian star has only had one training camp to improve and to right the errors of their first encounter. That is a tough job and the stakes are high. If he takes a second consecutive loss, his career isn’t only stalled, his momentum is thrown into reverse.
But Dogboe thinks it was more a disrupted training camp before that hampered him last time out. “Navarrete couldn’t knock me out when I was at my worst, and now am I at my best. I am a much more fit boxer this time around, and it is my mission to become world champion once again. The ‘Royal Storm’ is back,” he declared. “I have fought in Arizona before [first-round KO over Hidenori Otake in Glendale], and the fans there are tremendous. I know a lot of Mexican fans will be in attendance to see Navarrete, but I am coming for my title. He’s a nice guy and a great champion, but this is about redemption for me. I am ready to go to war.
“I don’t see this as a distance fight. I am coming for the knockout and to regain my title in spectacular fashion.”
Navarrete has every intention of history repeating itself. “It was a surreal moment when they announced me as the new champion. I was very happy to meet my goal, and now I am ready to defend the title successfully. It motivates me to know that the first fight was so good that everyone wants an immediate rematch,” the Mexican said.
The bout takes place at the Tucson Arena on Saturday (May 11) with WBC super-featherweight world champion Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt also rematching Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas on the same bill.
“This is a very attractive card,” Navarrete added. “Many good fighters will be in action and you can’t ask for anything better than two world title rematches. I’m going to try and give the fans a big knockout win.”
