Emanuel Navarrete will embark on a path to capture a major title in a fourth weight division.
Boxing Scene has confirmed that Mexico’s Navarrete has enforced his ‘Super Champion’ status to compete for the vacant WBO lightweight title. The sanctioning body responded in kind and ordered the three-division and reigning WBO 130-pound titlist to enter talks with Ukraine’s Denys Berinchyk.
“Please be advised that the WBO World Championship Committee hereby orders the commencement of
negotiations for the subject matter bout,” WBO Championship Committee chairman Luis Batista-Salas informed both parties Monday evening in an official letter obtained by Boxing Scene. “The parties herein are granted 15 days upon notice of this order to reach an agreement.
“If an accord is not reached within the time frame outlined herein, purse bid procedures will be ordered pursuant to WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests.”
Navarrete is represented in talks by Top Rank. Berinchyk is promoted by Alex Krassyuk’s K2 Promotion-Ukraine.
Navarrete (38-1-1, 31KOs) won his third divisional belt when he rose from the canvas to drop and stop Australia’s Liam Wilson in the ninth round of their WBO junior lightweight title fight last February 3 in Glendale, Arizona. Two successful defenses followed—a twelve-round, unanimous decision over countryman Oscar Valdez last August 12; and an entertaining twelve-round draw with Brazil’s Robson Conceicao last November 16 in Las Vegas.
The win over Valdez positioned Navarrete to file for ‘Super Champion’ status with the WBO, based on his extensive run with the sanctioning body. The 29-year-old from San Juan Zitlaltepec has also won titles at junior featherweight and featherweight, both in WBO title reigns. The Puerto Rico-headquartered organization approved the request, which allowed Navarrete the freedom to request an immediate title shot at a new weight as is the case here.
Berinchyk (18-0, 9KOs) is the current number-one ranked contender. The 2012 Olympic Silver medalist—who was part of the same Ukraine team as Oleksandr Usyk, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Oleksandr Gvozdyk—has struggled to match the pro success of his amateur teammates but has remained perfect through nine years in the paid ranks.
The 35-year-old from Kiev, Ukraine was primed to challenge for a title after wins over Yvan Mendy and Anthony Yigit. The latter came on the undercard of Usyk’s ninth-round knockout of Daniel Dubois to defend his unified WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles last August 26 in Wroclaw, Poland.
By that point, it was evident that then-undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney (31-0, 15KOs) was on his way out of the division. Las Vegas’ Haney has since abdicated the throne.
Shakur Stevenson claimed the vacant WBC lightweight title in a forgettable twelve-round win over Edwin De Los Santos atop the November 16 card in Las Vegas that saw Navarrete and Conceicao fight to a draw. The WBA belt is currently held by Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, while Lomachenko and George Kambosos will compete for the vacant IBF title on May 12 in Perth, Australia.
A purse bid hearing will be ordered if Navarrete and Berinchyk can not reach an agreement. The minimum allowable bid is $150,000 for a WBO lightweight title fight.
By Jake Donovan