Emanuel Navarrete dominated Oscar Valdez in their rematch on Saturday night.
Navarrete made a strong comeback to the 130-pound division by overwhelming Valdez in the main event at Footprint Center in Phoenix. He knocked Valdez down in the first, fourth, and sixth rounds, ultimately becoming the first fighter to stop the former two-division champion within the distance.
Navarette landed a powerful left to Valdez’s body, causing his third knockdown in the sixth round. Referee Raul Caiz Jr. counted him out at 2:42 of the sixth round.
Mexico’s Navarrete (39-2-1, 32 KOs) retained the WBO junior lightweight title by defeating the courageous Valdez. This victory came after a split decision loss to Denys Berinchyk and a draw with Robson Conceicao. Valdez suffered his first knockout loss in his professional career of 35 fights.
Valdez, visibly emotional, apologized to his fans from Mexico after the fight, acknowledging Navarrete’s superior performance.
Navarrete admitted that Valdez put up a strong fight and credited him for his resilience. He emphasized the need to prevent Valdez from gaining momentum to secure victory.
The fight turned in Navarrete’s favor when he landed a powerful left uppercut that stunned Valdez in the sixth round. Despite Valdez’s efforts, Navarrete’s relentless assault continued, leading to the eventual stoppage.
Throughout the fight, Navarrete showcased his power and accuracy with punishing punches, culminating in a dominant performance over Valdez.
Valdez tried to fight back but was ultimately outmatched by Navarrete’s strategy and skill. After a knockdown in the second round, Valdez showed resilience but was unable to overcome Navarrete’s superior strength and technique.
