Emanuel Navarrete remains the WBO super featherweight champion. (Kohjiro Kinno /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)
Emanuel Navarrete inflicted a one-sided beatdown on Oscar Valdez to retain his WBO super featherweight title Saturday night at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
Navarrete (39-2-1, 32 KOs) scored two knockdowns in the first four rounds and then landed a brutal body shot in the sixth, which Valdez (32-3, 24 KOs) was unable to recover from. Valdez was overwhelmed by Navarrete’s power and bewildered by the three-weight world champion’s very unorthodox style.
The Mexican pair met in a hugely entertaining first contest in August 2023. That time, Valdez extended Navarrete to the 12-round distance but lost a wide decision.
Navarrete was coming off a loss and a draw heading into Saturday night’s rematch. He had surgery on his left hand in 2023, and Navarette said in the post-fight interview that he was unable to utilize the lead hand as much as he’d have liked in his May loss to Denys Berinchyk. However, against Valdez he was able to punch with his left hand properly, he said, and the difference showed in the result.
In the co-feature, Rafael Espinoza (26-0, 22 KOs) stopped Robeisy Ramirez (14-3, 9 KOs) in the sixth round to retain his WBO featherweight title in a rematch.
Ramirez oddly turned his back in the sixth round and declared that he no longer wanted to fight. The Cuban explained afterward that he was allegedly hit by elbows from Ramirez, which left him experiencing double vision and unable to see properly out of his right eye. Therefore, he chose to opt out of the bout rather than risk further damage to his eye.
For more on Navarrete vs. Valdez 2, check out Uncrowned’s full results and play-by-play below.
Main card
WBO super featherweight title: Emanuel Navarrete def. Oscar Valdez via sixth-round KO | Watch video
WBO featherweight title: Rafael Espinoza def. Robeisy Ramirez via sixth-round TKO | Watch KO
Prelims
Super lightweight: Lindolfo Delgado def. Jackson Marinez via fifth-round TKO (2:14) | Watch KO
Heavyweight: Richard Torrez Jr. def. Isaac Muñoz via third-round TKO (:59) | Watch KO
Super featherweight: Albert Gonzalez def. Gerardo Antonio Perez via unanimous decision (80-72, 80-72, 79-73)
Super flyweight: Steven Navarro def. Gabriel Bernardi Cruz via second-round TKO (2:29) | Watch KO
Welterweight: Giovani Santillan def. Fredrick Lawson via first-round TKO (3:00) | Watch KO
Welterweight: Art Barrera Jr. def. Juan Carlos Campos Medina via second-round TKO (2:58) | Watch KO
Lightweight: Kevin Mosquera def. Cesar Morales via majority decision (38-38, 39-36, 38-37)
Super featherweight: DJ Zamora def. Roman Ruben Reynoso via second-round TKO (1:56) | Watch KO
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Video: Emanuel Navarrete KO-6 Oscar Valdez
Navarrete vs. Valdez – Round 6
Navarrete throws a 1-2-left uppercut combination, missing the first two punches but connecting with the third. Another left uppercut from Navarrete, followed up by the left hook. Navarrete throws a flurry, and Valdez is hurt. His back is up against the ropes. The referee is taking a closer look, but Valdez manages to respond with a right hand, which forces the referee to step back.
Navarrete rips a vicious left hook to the body, down goes Valdez and HE WON’T BE GETTING UP!
Emanuel Navarrete knocks out Oscar Valdez in round six after winning every round, a dominant display.
Navarrete vs. Valdez – Round 5
Navarrete whips up a right uppercut, following with a left hook. He tries the same combination again, but switches the uppercut with a straight right, disguising the attack. Navarrete switches to southpaw and lands a wide left hand. Left uppercut from Navarrete, Valdez looked to be rocked again.
10-9 Navarrete, 50-43 Navarrete
Navarrete vs. Valdez – Round 4
Navarrete unleashes a combination that has Valdez in a bit of trouble in the corner. Valdez responds with a left hand that sends the defending champion off balance. Navarrete landing right hand after right hand on Valdez.
Valdez is DOWN AGAIN at the end of the round, down for the second time in the fight from what appears to have been a right uppercut.
10-8 Navarrete, 40-34 Navarrete
Navarrete vs. Valdez – Round 3
Right hands from Navarrete connects to the head and body. Valdez attempts a left hook but is just overpowered and pushed to the canvas. Navarrete connects with an unorthodox left hand, Valdez looks to be on wobbly legs. He is being bullied by the physically stronger “El Vaquero”
10-9 Navarrete, 30-26 Navarrete
Navarrete vs. Valdez – Round 2
Navarrete backs Valdez up, hoping to follow on from the success he had in the opener. But Valdez connects with a strong right-hand counter. Two left hands from Navarrete connects, Valdez is coming up second-best against the much more powerful Navarrete.
10-9 Navarrete, 20-17 Navarrete
Navarrete vs. Valdez – Round 1
Emanuel Navarrete DROPS Oscar Valdez in the opening round. It was a short right hand, almost a hook, from an angle that hit Valdez on the ear, and he immediately dropped to the canvas.
10-8 Navarrete
Main event next: Navarrete vs. Valdez
WBO super featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete defends his belt against the mandatory challenger Oscar Valdez in a rematch.
Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KOs), a three-division world champion, took a wide decision over Valdez in their first bout, but he hasn’t won a fight since. Navarrete fought to a draw against Robson Conceicao in November 2023 and then lost in his quest to become a four-weight world champion against Denys Berinchyk in May.
Valdez (32-2, 24 KOs) bounced back from his loss to Navarrete with a seventh-round knockout of Liam Wilson in March.
Scorecards at the time of the stoppage
Ramirez explains loss in post-fight interview
Robeisy Ramirez has said that he was hit by elbows in round 4 and round 5 by Rafael Espinoza, and that caused him to have double vision. The Cuban couldn’t see out of his right eye, and because the referee wasn’t protecting him, he had to take matters into his own hands.
Video: Rafael Espinoza TKO-6 Robeisy Ramirez
Rafael Espinoza vs. Robeisy Ramirez 2 — Round 6
Robeisy Ramirez has turned his back and this one has been waved off! Wild scenes, as Ramirez appears to have quit in the opening stages of round six. Rafael Espinoza retains his WBO featherweight title.
Espinoza TKO-6 Ramirez
Rafael Espinoza vs. Robeisy Ramirez 2 — Round 5
Ramirez lands a solid jab in the opening stages of the fifth. Espinoza is pressuring Ramirez. Ramirez connects with a left hand to the body. Ramirez may have won some of the early rounds, but Espinoza is slowly building into it. Espinoza with some good success in the final minute as he whips an uppercut through Ramirez’s tight guard.
10-9 Espinoza, 48-47 Espinoza
Rafael Espinoza vs. Robeisy Ramirez 2 — Round 4
Straight left hand to the body lands for Ramirez. Espinoza is applying constant pressure on Ramirez, but Ramirez is making himself harder to hit by becoming a smaller target. The pair exchange uppercuts and Espinoza connects with a short right hand at the end of the fourth.
10-9 Espinoza, 38-38
Rafael Espinoza vs. Robeisy Ramirez 2 — Round 3
Ramirez is on the back foot, moving to the right, attempting to stay out of the way of Espinoza’s right hand. Espinoza targets the right hand to the body instead and lands a sharp whipping uppercut. The best connect of round 3 was a heavy left hand from Ramirez in the final minute.
10-9 Ramirez, 29-28 Ramirez
Rafael Espinoza vs. Robeisy Ramirez 2 — Round 2
Espinoza again takes the center of the ring and resumes pressing forward. Ramirez darts inside with a leaping left hand. Ramirez connects with a stiff shot to the midsection. Espinoza is struggling to find himself here. Ramirez circles then slams another left hand to the body. Long combination from Espinoza, that’s his best moment of the night so far. Left uppercut by Espinoza. He flurries. Momentum starting to swing there at the end of the round.
10-9 Espinoza. 19-19 overall.
Rafael Espinoza vs. Robeisy Ramirez 2 — Round 1
They touch ’em up and we’re off. Let’s see if this starts as fast as the first fight. Espinoza takes the center of the ring and pumps his jab. Ramirez lands a couple slick shots to the body. Espinoza pressing forward, Ramirez circling to his left. Nice right hand over the top by Ramirez. Espinoza continues to paw out a long jab. Left hand to the body again for Ramirez, and again. Stiff two-punch combination goes low then high for Ramirez.
10-9 Ramirez.
Walkouts in 2 minutes!
Here we go, we’re rolling. Minutes away from the co-featured bout.
