Emanuel Navarrete vs Oscar Valdez – Results & Post-Fight Report

Emanuel Navarrete successfully defended his WBO super featherweight title for a first time, as he took a wide, unanimous decision win against Oscar Valdez in their all-Mexican clash at the Desert Derby Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

Navarrete (38-1, KO31) had taken the vacant belt with a ninth round stoppage of Liam Wilson in February, while Valdez (31-2, KO23) lost that title to Shakur Stevenson last April, and he returned with a points win against Adam Lopez in May.

Both men got down to business from the off, and both let go of their punches in the opening round. There was a heavy volume of blows in the second, with Navarrete’s just hitting that bit harder. Navarrete landed with an uppercut that got Valdez’s attention in the third, and there were signs of damage on Valdez’s face as early as the fourth. Valdez did show signs of improvement as he enjoyed decent fifth and sixth frames, and his best work came in the eighth and ninth, where was landing with regular hooks and beating ‘Vaquero’ to the punch.

That was as good as the rally got though, as Navarrete outboxed and out-landed Valdez down the stretch, and caused more damaged to an already weathered face, with Valdez’s right eye almost shut. Navarrete largely dominated the final two sessions, and the result was in little doubt when handed to the judges to pick a winner.

Navarrete came through by scores of 119-109, 118-110 and 116-112, and he targeted a fight with Shakur Stevenson post-fight, despite the American moving up to lightweight.

The only ten round contest came at super lightweight, where Lindolfo Delgado (18-0, KO13) preserved his undefeated start to professional life, as he widely outpointed Jair Valtierra (16-3, KO8). Delgado was adjudged the winner by scores of 99-91 (twice) and 98-92.

Hot heavyweight prospect Ricardo Torrez (6-0, KO6) didn’t disappoint, as he blasted out Willie Jake (11-4-2, KO3) inside a round of a scheduled six. Also at heavyweight, Antonio Mireles (8-0, KO7) needed the sixth and final round to see off Dajuan Calloway (7-3, KO7).

Sergio Leon Rodriguez (8-0-1, KO7) took a second round win at super middleweight against Eduardo Ayala (9-4-1, KO3), and Ricardo Ruvalcaba (10-0-1, KO8) did the same against Adrian Urban (6-4, KO4).

The sole four rounder saw Emiliano Vargas (6-0, KO5) also win in the second round, against Luis Marquez Alvarado (3-6-1, KO2).