Boxing’s busiest champion Emanuel Navarrete has hinted at a move to featherweight after scoring a sixth-round stoppage of Uriel Lopez at the TV Azteca Studios in Mexico City on Saturday night.
The WBO super-bantamweight champion made his sixth appearance in just 13 months (including a Pandemic) to halt the determined Lopez in a featherweight non-title bout.
Photo: Jaime Lopez/JAM MEDIA)/Zanfer Promotions.
Navarrete (32-1, 28 KOs) upset the fancied Isaac Dogboe in December 2018 to clinch the WBO crown and has since become one of Mexico’s brightest stars, scoring six straight stoppages.
Lopez (13-14-1, 6 KOs) proved game and willing opposition, but no match for Navarrete’s swarming body attack. After cruising early on, Navarrete dropped his compatriot with a left hand to the body in the fifth and Lopez barely beat the count.
The journeyman was overwhelmed in the following session with Navarrete’s hefty body blows taking their toll and the fight was waved off after a second knockdown.
The champion said afterwards: “I have the utmost respect for Uriel Lopez. He put forth a courageous effort, but I was coming to win by knockout. I want to unify [the 122lbs] titles, but if nobody accepts my challenge, I’ll move up to featherweight.”
Photo: Jaime Lopez/JAM MEDIA)/Zanfer Promotions.
In other action, featherweight Edwin Palomares (13-3-1, 4 KOs) upset Carlos Ornelas (25-3, 14 KOs) in five rounds while another 126-pounder Sergio Sanchez (15-1, 9 KOs) kayoed Gustavo Alan Pina (8-3, 5 KOs) in two.
Meanwhile, flyweight hope Ivan Armando Garcia Carrillo (6-0, 3 KOs) decisioned Roberto Palomares (5-5-1, 1 KO) over six rounds. Scores were 59-55 (twice) and 59-56.
Photo: Jaime Lopez/JAM MEDIA)/Zanfer Promotions.
All photos: Courtesy of Zanfer Promotions.