The option is there to explore a fourth divisional title or even take his time between mandatory defenses.
Emanuel Navarrete has different plans in mind for his newfound WBO ‘Super Champion’ designation.
“There are many benefits to being Super Champion that other fighters choose to use,” Navarrete told BoxingScene.com. “Some fighters use it so they can go longer between mandatory title defenses or just between fights in general. That’s not something I plan to use or abuse.
“I love to fight, I enjoy being active and want to continue to take on all comers.”
Navarrete (38-1, 30KOs) was granted the honor by the sanctioning body on September 22, six weeks after his August 12 decision win over countryman Oscar Valdez to defend his WBO junior lightweight title. The feat aided his cause to earn the distinction from the Puerto Rico-headquartered sanctioning body, whose titles he has held at junior featherweight, featherweight and now junior lightweight and is a perfect 12-0 in such contests.
True to his commitment to remain active, Navarrete is set for his third fight of a productive 2023 campaign.
The three-division titleholder is due to make the second defense of the WBO 130-pound title he claimed in February, as he will next face three-time Olympian and 2016 Olympic Gold medalist Robson Conceicao (17-2, 8KOs; 1NC). Their bout takes place November 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, a part of an ESPN show topped by the Shakur Stevenson-Edwin De Los Santos WBC lightweight title fight.
With a win, Navarrete will have the option to pursue the WBO lightweight title in his next fight. Devin Haney (30-0, 15KOs) is the division’s current lineal and unified WBA, IBF and WBO, though the rising superstar is due to next challenge WBC junior welterweight titlist Regis Prograis (29-1, 25KOs). A win by Haney could leave the unbeaten boxer with a decision to make regarding where he plans to compete for his subsequent ring appearance.
How that will affect Navarrete’s career path is a conversation beyond both of those fights. His goal for now is to remain active and at his current weight, where he plans to fully unify the division. A perk that comes with being Super Champions means a longer runway between mandatory title defenses, though fighting three times a year again could allow the 28-year-old from San Juan Zitlaltepec to have his cake and eat it too.
“I want to take pride in the championship designation they granted me,” vowed Navarrete, who has won 33 straight since suffering a defeat in his sixth pro bout. “We honestly didn’t know how they would rule when we applied for the status, so it made us happy when they approved it.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox