WBO Super Featherweight world champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete barely escaped disaster last May against veteran Charly Suarez of the Philippines. In September, his IBF World Super Featherweight counterpart Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Núñez won for his Sinaloa fans in a homecoming fight, but it wasn’t a cakewalk either.
Now the two men will take whatever they learned from those challenges into a unification fight at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday. Fans can see the card on DAZN Boxing. The card gets started at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. The main event ringwalks are set at approximately 11:47 pm ET/8:47 p.m. PT.
This fight is flying under the radar, which is a shame. Navarrete vs Núñez is sure to be action-packed and a potential entry on the 2026 Fight of the Year list, as so many all-Mexican matchups do.
Navarrete and Núñez Coming Off Tough Wins
Navarrete of San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico (39-2-1, 32 KOs) defended his title by technical decision over Suarez after the champion suffered a wicked cut over his left eye, forcing the fight to be stopped on the advice of the ringside physician one second into the eighth round. The scores were close for Navarrete: 78-75, 77-76, and 77-76.
Núñez of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico (29-1, 27 KOs) got a stiff challenge in his first title defense from three-time title challenger Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz. Thanks to two knockdowns in the seventh round and the significant swing on the cards, Núñez pulled out the decision win.
Navarrete was watching the Núñez ringside. He joined Núñez in the ring after the win, complimenting him on the action. “It would be a pleasure to fight Sugar Núñez. More than anything, Mexico wants that fight.”
Núñez replied, “It’s a real honor to have you here, and it’s great to hear you say you want to fight me as well. I admire you a great deal, and I’d love to share the ring with you. So let’s give Mexico that fight!”
Navarrete understands there are some skeptics about his capabilities after the Suarez fight. “There was a lot of speculation after my last fight, but I don’t think I have anything to justify. We can be really confident going into this fight and I want to show to myself that I can go and face these great champions,” said Navarrete, adding that he considers it an important challenge.
Power and Stamina Will Be Tested
Núñez acknowledged that Navarrete has a tricky style. “He’s a fighter who’s very difficult to decipher. It’s a lot of pressure. What attracts me to this fight is that I like challenges.
“He has many knockouts, and his rivals say he’s heavy-handed. I think everyone has their own qualities,” said Núñez. “I’m sure it’s going to be a war. He will arrive prepared, and we will do our jobs, and then God will decide.” Núñez said his team did its best to simulate what Navarrete might bring into the ring during sparring in training camp.
Navarette’s awkward swinging punches and unusual angles don’t work for any other fighter but him. Fans don’t mind the lack of conventional boxing skills because El Vaquero’s risky approach makes for exciting action.
Navarrete and Núñez have 57 knockouts between them in 71 fights. Neither man has ever been stopped. Navarrete acknowledged that both he and his opponent would see their power and stamina tested on Saturday.
“We both have power, so I think that physical condition is key. Whomever can endure the most will win, and that physical condition will determine that,” said Navarrete, who added that he doesn’t expect a single punch to stop Núñez, but that he could destabilize him and go from there.
Núñez said a victory is a critical step for both. “We all have a winning mentality and are willing to do what is needed to win.”
Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn loves a little Mexican violencia. He acknowledged there was a bit of drama getting to the weigh-in.
“When we arrived in Arizona (Thursday), Emanuel Navarrete said he was very chilled. He was at the Mexican embassy in Mexico City, just rocked up there to get his visa, and no one could find his passport. So overnight, we’re having a nice little panic about myself and the fine folk at Top Rank.”
But it got straightened out, and Navarrete was put on a private jet and arrived just before the weigh-in. Both men weighed in just under the 130-pound limit.
Prediction: Núñez By Late TKO
Navarrete has found himself in deep waters before in his loss to Denis Berinchyk, his only fight at lightweight. He escaped with a draw against Robson Conceicao. He’s won several fights by narrow margins.
Núñez’s single loss was in 2018 by a single point on the cards after being penalized for a low blow. Without that deduction, the fight would have been a draw. Núñez has fought all but a handful of fights in Mexico. He won his title decisively on the road in Japan against Masanori Rikiishi. This will be just his second fight in the U.S.
Navarrete is as tough as they come, and he’s got an uncanny way of pulling out a fight after falling behind in early rounds. Núñez is coming in hot off impressive victories. He knows the crowd will be behind Navarrete, but his experience fighting in Japan will serve him well.
This will be the night Navarrete’s luck runs out against a slightly younger and far fresher fighter. But it won’t be easy. We call for a TKO stoppage win for Núñez in the last three rounds of an exciting fight.
Possible Perfect Parlay Payday On Undercard
The Navarrete vs Núñez undercard features three bouts and four undefeated fighters. You could do worse than to bet on three of the four keeping their undefeated records for a bit of fun.
Our 2025 Prospect of the Year Emiliano Vargas of Oxnard, California (16-0, 13 KOs) will kick off his 2026 campaign against Agustin Quintana of Buenos Aires (22-2-1, 13 KOs). Quintana hasn’t lost in three years and may finally give Vargas a bit of a challenge to work with. So far, Vargas has passed every test with ease. The WBO Latino and NABF junior lightweight titles are in play.
If I’m locked in on something, that’s it,” said the charismatic Vargas. “I prepare myself 120 per cent. I can’t wait. This is the beginning of the Emiliano Vargas era, and I want it all. I want the titles, but at the end of the day, if I don’t get past Quintana, then I don’t get to any of that.”
Tahmir Smalls of Philadelphia (16-0, 11 KOs) hopes keep his perfect record against tough Abel Ramos of Casa Grande (28-6, 22 KOs) in a welterweight matchup. Ramos will have his hometown fans behind him. Ramos’s losses were all against current or former champions, and he fought Mario Barrios to a draw on the Paul vs Tyson undercard. Smalls would love to boost his resume with a Ramos defeat on his record.
Smalls knows he’s on enemy turf. “I wouldn’t have taken the fight if I didn’t believe I was ready, I wouldn’t have took the fight in his backyard. I just know I crossed every T and dotted every I in this camp, and I’m ready to set fireworks off.”
It will be the first hometown fight for Ramos in nine years. “We know what we have in front of us, it is going to be a tough fight. But we trained well for that. And, I’m going to use my experience as an advantage and my hometown, of course.”
Super lightweight prospects Arturo Cardenas of Michoacán, Mexico (18-0, 9 KOs) and Jordan Martinez of Phoenix (16-0, 15 KOs) know one of them will leave with a loss.
“We never take a step back in terms of accepting fights,” said Cardenas. “I’m here once again, boxing in Arizona, it’s my third time here, and I’m very grateful to be here, and I’m ready to put on a great show once again.”
“Let’s go. That’s all. I’m ready for this. This is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for. And I am ready to show everybody what I could do in the ring,” said Martinez.
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist and the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). She is the Managing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.