WBO super-featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete is back in action against Charly Suarez following his recent decisive victory over Oscar Valdez. It appears Navarrete has now firmly established himself in the super-featherweight division.
This Top Rank-promoted event in San Diego also features a diverse lineup of fighters looking to advance their careers or bounce back to previous levels. Here`s a breakdown of the undercard supporting Navarrete vs. Suarez.
Raymond Muratalla vs. Zaur Abdullaev
An interesting matchup for the IBF Interim lightweight title sees undefeated Californian prospect Muratalla face the in-form Russian Abdullaev. While Vasiliy Lomachenko`s plans for the main belt remain unclear, other leading contenders are battling for relevance. Abdullaev has been unbeaten in nine fights since his 2019 loss to Devin Haney. Muratalla, a capable boxer-puncher, faced a tougher challenge than anticipated in his recent fight with Tevin Farmer. Muratalla believes the composed Abdullaev will be too slow, a sentiment I share.
Andres Cortes vs. Salvador Jimenez
The 27-year-old Cortes boasts an impressive 22-0 professional record and is riding high on a series of strong wins. He is surely nearing an opportunity for a world title shot. Jimenez`s last appearance was a points loss to Ryan Garner for the European title. A win for the Spanish fighter in this bout would be considered an upset.
Giovani Santillan vs. Angel Beltran Villa
Giovani Santillan is working his way back after a brutal stoppage loss to Brian Norman Jr. A first-round knockout win against the unreliable Fredrick Lawson doesn`t provide much insight into Santillan`s recovery. The tough Mexican fighter Angel Beltran Villa is expected to offer a more significant challenge here.
Albert Gonzalez vs. Jose Ivan Guardado Ortiz
Albert Gonzalez, a highly-rated 23-year-old prospect, is making his case as a potential future star. His opponent, Jose Ivan Guardado Ortiz, has suffered three professional defeats, two of which came inside the distance. It is anticipated that Gonzalez will likely secure another stoppage victory.
Best of the Rest
While not widely known in the United States, Sebastian Hernandez`s 19-0 record with 18 knockouts is certainly 주목할 만하다 (noteworthy). A fighter capable of testing the power behind that record is the tough Armenian, Azat ‘Crazy A’ Hovhannisyan, who has competed effectively against high-level opponents. The popular Alan Garcia had been progressing well until suffering a surprising stoppage loss last September against a less-regarded opponent. Known as ‘Kid Kansas’, Garcia continues his career against Cristian Medina Garcia, who holds the excellent nickname ‘Vikingo’. The card also features two promising novices, both 1-0: Samuel Contreras faces Dillon Cervantes Alvarado, and Perla Bazaldua battles Mona Ward. Both contests are scheduled for four rounds, with the women`s bout featuring two-minute rounds.
