Navarrete Claims Headbutt Caused Fight-Ending Cut, Remains Undecided On Rematch Despite Top Rank’s Plans

WBO super featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete insisted after last Saturday night’s fight against Charly Suarez that his fight-ending cut was caused by a “headbutt” in the sixth, and that he still needs to “decide” whether to give him a rematch. Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti said late last night that a “rematch is coming” after replays showed a punch from Suarez caused the cut. Navarrete (40-2-1, 32 KOs) may have other ideas because he’s not committing to the rematch. He says he has to “make a decision.”

The cut caused the eventual stoppage of the fight at the start of the eighth round. The ringside doctor advised that the fight be halted after examining the cut over Navarrete’s left eye. It didn’t look like a bad cut compared to the one Tyson Fury suffered in his fight against Otto Wallin in September 2019. Fury was cut badly over his right eye in the third, yet the ringside doctor didn’t advise stopping it.

Rematch Evasion?

Fans have a real problem with the scoring of the fight. The judges gave it to Navarrete despite him appearing to lose five of the seven rounds. They scored it  78-75, 77-76, and 77-76. What also angered fans is the judges giving round seven to Navarrete, which was easily the best round of the fight for Suarez. He had Emanuel in serious trouble in that round.

Navarrete seems like he might take the win and look for another fight rather than let Suarez get a second chance. Suarez is too well conditioned and fights at too fast a pace for the flabby and faded Navarrete to beat him in a rematch without some other bizarre situation saving him. Top Rank posted a clip of one of Navarrete’s earlier fights against Isaac Dogboe from 2018.

It looked like a completely different fighter. Navarrete was slim, faster, and more agile then. He didn’t have that deteriorated, aged look to him that fans saw last night. He’s very old-looking for a 30-year-old, like someone closer to 40. What kind of lifestyle has Navarrete been living outside of the ring? His fights couldn’t have done that to him because he’s not fought any of the elite-level fighters during his career.

Most of his matches have been against washed-up fighters or fringe-level guys. He never fought talents like Rafael Espinoza, Lamont Roach, Gervonta Davis, Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez, or O’Shaquie Foster. Navarrete has been protected.

Words of a Reluctant Champion

“It’s a bit premature. I have a suspension for two months [due to the cut]. I have to think well, decide, see what comes, and then we’ll make a decision,” said Emanuel Navarrete to the media when asked if he’ll be giving Charly Suarez a rematch after last Saturday’s controversial cut stoppage.

“Unfortunately, it ended the way it did because of the headbutt, but I felt good. It was difficult with the results of the fight because of the headbutt. I hurt him to the head and to the body. Maybe that gave me the advantage. I didn’t think I would lose.”