“On the way here, we encountered some setbacks and circumstances that were beyond our control,” Navarrete said. “But we are excited to be here and for all our attractive fans to have their voices heard. There is nothing to say, we just can’t wait for the pan-Mexican war.”
There were no problems during Friday’s weigh-in. Navarrete weighed 129.2 pounds. IBF titleholder Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez had 129.8. They both easily passed the 130-pound limit, which was a relief for Navarrete after previous weight issues in the Phoenix area.
DAZN will broadcast his 12-round unification fight on Saturday night from the Desert Diamond Arena.
For Navarrete, who has a record of 39-2-1 and 32 knockouts, this venue made history. He began his 130-pound title run there in February 2023, climbing the canvas to stop Liam Wilson in the ninth round of a wild fight. It’s the only knockdown of his career that ended with him pushing forward until Wilson folded.
He later defeated Oscar Valdez by unanimous decision in the same building and stopped him in six rounds in a rematch in 2024 in downtown Phoenix. His only appearance in 2025 ended chaotically – he won a technical decision over Charly Suarez, which was later overturned by the California State Athletic Commission. The WBO ordered a mandatory defense against Suarez for the winner.
Nunez, 30-1 with 28 knockouts, arrives with his own proof of development. After a streak of 18 straight stoppages, he was forced to go 12 rounds to win the IBF title from Masanori Rikiishi in Japan, then go the distance in defense against Christopher Diaz in Mexico. Power remains, but so does patience.
“Navarrete is a tough style to tackle,” Nunez said. “We believe we have repeated this style in sparring. One thing we know is that with Emanuel Navarrete you can always expect war. He was a great champion for a long, long time. But we are ready to write our own history.”
This will be the first unification fight for both fighters. It’s also a clash of style between Navarrete’s volume and awkward angles and Nunez’s shorter, heavier bursts. One of them walks away with two lanes and a mandatory wait. The second returns to rebuilding in a division that does not forgive fluctuations.
Undercard weighing results:
junior welterweight – Emiliano Vargas 139.8, Agustin Quintana 139.6
Welterweight – Tahmir Smalls 147.0, Abel Ramos 146.2
Junior featherweight category – Arturo Cardenas 122.0, Jordan Martinez 121.8