Emanuel Navarrete and Rey Vargas might grow to be three-division champions inside an eight-day span this month.
The Mexican veterans by no means fought after they owned world titles within the 122-pound and 126-pound divisions, however Vargas thinks a title unification bout versus Navarrete is a minimum of a risk in the event that they win their upcoming fights for unclaimed 130-pound championships.
Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs), of San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico, will sq. off in opposition to Australia’s Liam Wilson (11-1, 7 KOs) on Friday evening for the vacant WBO junior light-weight title. ESPN will televise Navarrete-Wilson because the 12-round important occasion of a tripleheader from Desert Diamond Area in Glendale, Arizona (10 p.m. ET; 7 p.m. PT).
Navarrete was imagined to oppose Oscar Valdez for a title Shakur Stevenson misplaced on the dimensions 4 months in the past, however Valdez suffered an undisclosed harm early in December. Mexico’s Valdez (30-1, 23 KOs), a former WBO featherweight and WBO junior light-weight champ, was changed by Wilson as a result of Wilson was the WBO’s subsequent obtainable main contender within the 130-pound division.
Vargas (36-0, 22 KOs), of Otumba, Mexico, will face O’Shaquie Foster (19-2, 11 KOs), of Orange, Texas, for the vacant WBC tremendous featherweight title, the opposite championship Stevenson misplaced when he got here in chubby the day earlier than he beat Brazil’s Robson Conceicao by unanimous determination of their 12-rounder September 23 at Prudential Middle in Newark, New Jersey. Showtime will televise Vargas-Foster on February 11 because the 12-round important occasion of a tripleheader from Alamodome in San Antonio.
“It most likely might [happen], sure,” Vargas stated via a translator when requested about boxing Navarrete throughout a digital press convention lately. “That’s one thing that has been talked about ever since we have been at 122, once we have been at 126. If it does occur at 130, it will be one thing that will be thrilling to Mexican followers. I’m conscious of it. However proper now, let’s concentrate on this struggle as a result of it’s all within the current.”
Bob Arum’s High Rank Inc., which promotes Valdez and Navarrete, intends to reschedule Navarrete-Valdez if the closely favored Navarrete wins Friday evening. Vargas, who nonetheless holds the WBC featherweight title he received by edging the Philippines’ Mark Magsayo (24-1, 16 KOs) in his final struggle, isn’t sure he’ll stay within the 130-pound division even when he beats Foster, the WBC’s primary contender within the 130-pound division.
Caesars Sportsbook lists Vargas as a 20-1 favourite to beat Wilson. Vargas is a 3-1 favourite to defeat Foster, in accordance with Caesars Sportsbook.
Navarrete, 28, and Vargas, 32, each will seem on the junior light-weight restrict of 130 kilos for the primary time of their upcoming championship bouts.
Keith Idec is a senior author/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He could be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.