Navarrete Wants a 122 Champ or is Moving Up
If there is one thing for certain about WBO world super bantamweight champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete (31-1, 27 KO’s), it’s he is not about sitting around wasting time! After initially defeating Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe (20-2, 14 KO’s) by unanimous decision, Navarrete beat him again by stoppage in the immediate rematch. That rematch would be the first of five title defenses that came in a span of nine months.
UNIFICATION MINDED
Although he is happy to oblige the fight fans with such an intense work schedule, Navarrete really has his mind set on facing another champion in his division. Out of the many lofty goals that he has set for himself, unifying titles is certainly among his most desired milestones. Unfortunately, let Navarrete tell it, not all the champion have the same fire though.
“I’ve always wanted to unify titles and you have never seen me decline a fight. I have always tried to make the unification fights happen. They haven’t happened, but it’s not because I don’t want them, or have no interest, or won’t do them. It really is because there are a lot of things in between. And I’m okay with that because we have tried. If the unification fights haven’t happened, it’s because the other parties don’t want them. The other sides have never reached out to me and there has never been any interest on their part.”
CHASING A MONSTER
Out of all his options though, there was one name that intrigued Navarrete more than the rest. When Vaquero heard that WBA and IBF world bantamweight champion Naoya “The Monster” Inoue (19-0, 16 KO’s) was moving up to super bantamweight, it was like music to his ears.
Being that they were both Top Rank fighters, Navarrete assumed that it would be an easy fight to make. However, what Vaquero saw as a simple task quickly got complicated.
“If we get through this [pandemic] quickly, and there is interest from the Japanese fighter [Inoue]. I believe that it will be easier to make a fight with him than with any other fighter at 122. But it’s just like I mentioned. There is no interest from their part.
He did what he wanted at 118 and then sent out a release saying he was going up to 122, my division. When he did it, I saw the possibility of fighting him because he signed with Top Rank, but then he said he was going to face Casimero. They were supposed to face each other in April.”
PRIZEFIGHT OR FLIGHT
If Vaquero is to square off with Inoue however, or any of the other champions, it will have to take place very fast! This is because Navarrete has developed some itchy feet and is looking to make a move to the featherweight division in the very near future.
“If it happens, the fight would have to happen right away because I’m thinking of moving up to 126. The only thing that could keep me at 122 is a big fight against Inoue or a unification against a champion.”
Once past this pandemic, it will be interesting to see who Navarrete can pen a fight with next, and at what division. Will one of his fellow 122lbs champions take the challenge or will Vaquero be forced to move four pounds north? And if Navarrete does make the jump, will he be as effective and destructive? Who knows?! Guess we’re all just playing the waiting the game.
By: Bakari Simpson
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