Mexico's Emanuel Navarrete puts his WBO super featherweight crown on the line against undefeated Filipino challenger Charly Suarez this Saturday at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California.
The championship showdown, scheduled for May 10, pits the battle-tested Mexican champion against a Filipino veteran who brings an unblemished professional record to his first world title opportunity. The main card begins at 10 p.m. ET with the main event fighters expected to make their ring walks around 11 p.m. ET, broadcasting live on ESPN, ESPN+, and ESPN Deportes.
Bookmakers have installed Navarrete as a substantial -450 favorite heading into the contest, reflecting an implied 82% probability of victory. Bettors backing the champion would need to risk $450 to win $100. Meanwhile, Suarez enters as a +350 underdog, with a $100 stake potentially yielding a $350 profit if he can pull off the upset.
Navarrete (39-2-1, 32 KOs) has established himself as a three-division world champion known for his unorthodox, high-volume fighting style. The 30-year-old Mexican bounced back from a split decision defeat to Denys Berinchyk by stopping Oscar Valdez in the sixth round of his most recent title defense. Saturday marks his 16th championship contest, a remarkable achievement in contemporary boxing.
According to analysis from Statbet, Navarrete's unconventional attack patterns have historically troubled technically sound boxers, potentially creating stylistic challenges for Suarez despite the challenger's extensive amateur pedigree.
Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs), at 36 years old, comes into this opportunity following a distinguished amateur career that included representing the Philippines at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Since turning professional in 2019, he has steadily built momentum, notably coming from behind to stop undefeated Paul Fleming in Australia in 2023. The Filipino contender followed that breakthrough with three victories in 2024, including his first appearance on American soil against Jorge Castaneda.
A victory would make Suarez just the third current Filipino world champion, adding significance to his championship pursuit. However, at 36, time isn't on his side, making this potentially his last shot at world championship glory.
While Suarez possesses the technical boxing ability to create early problems for the champion, Navarrete's relentless pressure and championship experience are expected to prove decisive over the scheduled 12 rounds. Though Suarez's disciplined approach might win him early rounds, the champion's conditioning and volume punching should eventually wear down the challenger, likely resulting in a unanimous decision victory for Navarrete.
