What to Know
- Three of the super featherweight division titles will be on the line Saturday, October 24 in San Antonio, Texas as WBO/IBF World Super Featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete of Mexico (40-2-1, 33 KOs) and WBC titleholder O’Shaquie Foster of Houston (25-3, 12 KOs) risk their titles in a three-belt unification fight on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.
- The undercard includes the first ten-round fight for featherweight Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez and the newly signed super lightweight Frank Martin.
- The fight plus one additional undercard fight will air live on DAZN at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
San Antonio has become a boxing hotbed in the Southwestern United States. The Texas fans will find a lot to like in the upcoming card on Saturday, October 24, at the Frost Bank Center.
The main event features a unification fight between two exciting talents. One man will add belts to his collection. Will it be WBO/IBF World Super Featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete of Mexico (40-2-1, 33 KOs) or WBC titleholder O’Shaquie Foster of Houston (25-3, 12 KOs).
Navarrete, in theory, owes Charley Suarez of the Philippines a rematch after their botched fight stopped due to cuts suffered by Navarrete. But Suarez will wait for the titleholders to sort out the belts.
The four-fight card, along with an additional fight, will be streamed LIVE on DAZN beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
Navarrete: ‘Boxing Depends on Moments’
“I’m very happy that this fight came together. I’m training very well and working hard on figuring out what this fight is going to require,” said Navarrete. “We know what Foster represents. We know he’s a very skilled fighter with a lot of weapons in his boxing repertoire, and that’s what we’re preparing for.
“I’m extremely excited for fight night to arrive, to show everyone the great preparation I’ve had, put on a great fight, and give 100 percent of myself to accomplish the goal.“
I think boxing also depends on moments, added Navarrete. “There are moments in any fighter’s career when injuries, emotional instability or perhaps some other situation can affect you.
“In my case, physically, I wasn’t at 100 percent. There were certain things that weren’t allowing me to be the fighter I’ve always been—aggressive and with a positive mentality. Physically, I’m recovered. Thank God, we’ve overcome some injuries. There are no excuses now.”
Foster Eager to Stay Busy
Foster feels he is at his best. “I definitely feel like I’m at my best right now. Mentally, physically, everything is coming together. I’m ready for any challenge, and I feel like I’m there right now. “
He explains why he took the fight with Navarrete.
“We weren’t going to sit around and wait for Shakur {Stevenson}. Whatever the next big opportunity was, I was going to take it. Everybody knows that’s who I wanted, but my career is going to keep moving. We’re going to keep knocking them down until the fans keep calling for that fight. Right now, we’ve got a great opponent in front of us that we need to handle.”
Foster says his experience allows him to turn losses into lessons, work to improve his strengths, and stay consistent. “I got stronger, kept building and stayed consistent. Now I’m here.
“I’m going to go in there and control the fight,” promised Foster. “I’m going to dominate from round one I saw an interview where he said I like to run and make fights difficult. I’ve never run from anybody. I put punishment and pain on my opponents, too. That night, he’s going to get a boxing lesson. There won’t be any running. It’s going to be a boxing lesson.
“To beat Navarrete, I just have to be me. I have to come out, be dominant like I have been, not take any rounds off and keep pressing the gas. It’s going to be a great night. I feel good about it.”
Southern California Fan Favorite “Chop Chop” Gonzalez Steps Up
Gonzalez is scheduled for his first eight-round fight against Edwin Vasquez. “I’m feeling great. I’m feeling blessed to be here. I’m grateful to God and grateful to my team. It’s only been about a month since our last fight and thank God we had a great outcome and a great victory.
“But we’ve got to keep pushing forward. You’re only as good as your last performance. We had a great performance last time out, and now we’ve got another tougher test ahead of us. It’s time to handle business.’
Gonzalez said he and his opponent will deliver a fan-friendly fight. “He’s close to home, and I’m from Texas, so I know he’s going to bring a crowd. I’m thankful that I have some Texas supporters, and hopefully after this fight I’ll have a lot more.
“We’re in for a fan-friendly fight that everybody is going to enjoy. At the same time, I’m coming in looking to show everybody that it’s not just hype behind me. I’m here to live up to it.”
Vazquez agreed it will be an exciting fight. “Gonzalez is a young, exciting fighter with a lot of hype behind him. But I’m battled tested. I know what it takes to get here.”
“One thing I know for sure is that he hasn’t been in there with someone like me. This will be his first real test, and we’ll see what that’s like on October 24.
“I don’t want to give away too much of the game plan, but it’s going to be fireworks. You guys have seen how I fight and how he fights. It’s a perfect clash of styles, and the fans are in for a real treat.”
New Top Rank Talent Frank Martin Returns
New Top Rank signee Frank Martin is happy to get back in action. “I feel like I’ve got a new spark, fighting with a new promotional company. I’ve got to come in and show out and show them that signing me was a good decision. I’m going to bring some excitement over to the Top Rank side. I feel like Top Rank is going to keep me busy, and that’s what I’m looking forward to.
Martin doesn’t have an opponent named yet, but said the key against any challenger for him is “to come out in this next fight, dominate and move forward.
“There are going to be fighters who might take an opportunity or take a chance to fight me based off my last performance and think it’s sweet or think it’s an easy fight. They’re just going to put me in the position that I want to be in.”
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist with more than four dozen awards for both written and video coverage from the Boxing Writers Association of America, Society of Professional Journalists, and San Diego Press Club, where she is the past president. She is the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the BWAA. She is the Boxing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.
