Emanuel Navarrete has pleaded his case for upgraded title status.
The three-division and reigning junior lightweight titlist has placed a formal request to receive ‘Super Champion’ distinction from the WBO, whose titles he has held in some capacity for nearly five years. The sanctioning body has acknowledged receipt of the official submission and will begin its review process.
“The reason for this document is to request you, and the World Boxing Organization (WBO), to consider Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete to be elevated to the category of “Super Champion” at 130 pounds,” Alejandro Brito, Navarrete’s manager, and head of BXSTRS Promotions, declared to the WBO in a letter obtained by BoxingScene.com. “Navarrete has been a loyal boxer to the organization and in less than 5 years he has been able to win 3 Titles in different categories (122, 126 and 130 lbs).”
Mexico’s Navarrete (38-1, 31KOs) is coming off his most notable win to date, a twelve-round, unanimous decision over countryman and former two-division titlist Oscar Valdez (31-2, 23KOs). Their August 12 ESPN headliner at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona saw the 28-year-old San Juan Zitlaltepec native turn their anticipated Fight of the Year contender into a showcase performance which he won by scores of 119-109, 118-110 and 116-112.
The win saw Navarrete extend his current 33-fight win streak which dates back to December 2012. He is now 12-0 (7KOs) in title fights at junior featherweight, featherweight and junior lightweight. He moved up earlier this year but had to climb off the canvas to drop and stop Australia’s Liam Wilson in the ninth round of their February 3 vacant WBO 130-pound title fight also at Desert Diamond Arena.
Section 14 of the WBO rules covers the ‘Super Champion’ criteria, for which Navarrete is within range of several requirements. His alignment with Top Rank has seen all of his title fights carry ESPN affiliation, whether on its main network, its ESPN+ streaming service or on its Pay-Per-View arm. All 12 career title fights have come with the WBO title at stake and the win over Valdez bolstered his claim for facing “opponents of high recognition and high skills.”
Among the benefits afforded a WBO Super Champion is the flexibility to extend the period between mandatory title defenses and the freedom to pursue more significant and legacy-defining fights. The designation also allows its claimants to petition for immediate mandatory challenger status in another weight division, or even their own in the event they lose the physical WBO title in the ring or through other means.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox