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Navarrete unifies the WBO and IBF titles with an 11th round TKO of Nunez

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What was expected to be a very close fight ended Saturday night in Glendale, Arizona, when Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete dismantled Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez.

Navarrete (40-2-1, 33 KO) dominated Nunez to unify the WBO and IBF junior lightweight titles with an 11th-round TKO victory. Referee Benjamin Rodriguez stopped the fight on the orders of the ringside doctor due to Nunez’s swollen right eye.

After taking control of the early rounds of the fight, Navarrete, the No. 1 ranked junior lightweight by ESPN, began his demolition work in the seventh round. He was faster and punished the sixth-placed Nunez, at will, to the body and head, while Nunez desperately searched for a miracle punch.

In the ninth round, Nunez’s right eye was completely closed, and Navarrete was in full control of the fight at medium and long distances, and even at close range.

Navarrete, who is friends with Nunez, said after the fight that he never thought about being fired. In the fight, he landed 182 of 381 power punches (48%).

“It’s demanding to see your opponent hurt, but it’s also really demanding not to keep fighting and not win the fight,” Navarrete said in a post-fight interview. “You never know what might happen in those last rounds. He might catch you with one shot and it might be over. So I had to keep working to do my part.”

Although Nunez and his corner wanted to continue the fight, the doctor decided to stop the fight.

“I would like to quit, but I respect the decision to protect my health,” Nunez said. “I was wondering [Navarrete] toughest fighter weighing 130 pounds. I’m his fan. I follow his career and admire him.”

Navarrete, who has fought just once in 2025 – a no-contest fight against Charly Suarez in May – looked sharper, faster and much stronger.

The division’s other two champions, O’Shaquie Foster (WBC) and Lamont Roach (WBA), are options for Navarrete, but the novel unified champion said he wants to celebrate Saturday’s victory and rest before deciding on his next fight.

“It’s very early to think about it right now,” Navarrete said. “I just want to relax a bit, relax and just enjoy life [the victory]. I think that in the coming days, when there will be peace and I will have time to rest, I will decide what to do next. But that’s not what I’m thinking about right now.”

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Eddie Hearn questions Dana White’s boxing future

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Image: Eddie Hearn Questions Whether Dana White Can Handle Boxing

“I just don’t think they’re going to face the fire,” Hearn told iFL TV about Dana White and his company at Zuffa.

“You have years of catching, putting out fires and being bombarded with pellets and grenades to overcome this.

“I just don’t think they’ll be ready for the fire. You must be a little unwell.” [__] to do this. That’s what I do.”

Hearn also ridiculed White’s recent comments about boxing promotion and said the UFC president faces criticism now that he is in the boxing industry.

“He stank,” Hearn said.

“He’s not used to this. Don’t forget what we do, which is meeting people, giving interviews. But he had a narrative.

“He didn’t have anyone like that. That’s why he can’t do it and instead just says weird lyrics.”

Hearn later joked that White’s repeated comments about him actually helped escalate his visibility in the United States.

“I have to thank Dana White,” Hearn said.

“Every press conference he holds, he talks about me.

“I think there are people asking, ‘Who is this Eddie Hearn?’ Little Google, boss, Eddie Hearn.

Promoter Matchroom also rejected White’s recent claim that no promoter has staged more boxing events this year than Zuffa Boxing.

“The entire media audience responded, ‘Okay,’ and moved on to the next question,” Hearn said.

“Imagine if I said that. I would be fried by it in an instant.”

Hearn’s latest comments come as Zuffa Boxing continues to try to establish itself in the sport following months of public photos between White and several longtime boxing promoters.

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Roy Jones Jr Says There’s ‘Only One Fight Ahead’ for David Benavidez: ‘You’ll Beat Everyone’

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Roy Jones Jr says there is ‘only one fight’ for David Benavidez next: “You beat everyone else”

Roy Jones Jr urged David Benavidez to follow in his footsteps rather than fight Dmitry Bivol in an undisputed lithe heavyweight clash.

The “Mexican Monster” appears the sixth round ended with a victory over Gilberto Ramirezwhom he dethroned earlier this month to become three-division world champion.

However, despite winning the WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles, Benavidez expressed interest in returning to 175 pounds, where he still holds the WBC belt.

That would mean chasing unified champion Bivol, who must first defeat IBF mandatory challenger Michael Eifert on May 30.

The Russian hasn’t fought since he overtook Artur Beterbiev in February 2025, when he exacted revenge by majority decision and became the undisputed king.

Bivol then vacated the WBC title after deciding to undergo back surgery, which allowed Benavidez to be promoted from “interim” to full champion.

But rather than return to lithe heavyweight, Jones would prefer to see Benavidez test his skills at heavyweight, as he did against John Ruiz in 2003.

In a conversation with professional boxing fans, the pound-for-pound legend said that a fight with Oleksandr Usyk, who still holds the WBC, IBF and WBA titles, is the only fight that makes sense for him.

“This is the only fight for him right now and the only fight I want to see him in.

“You beat everyone in every other category, [so] go upstairs and fight Usyk. This is the best fight for him.”

While Benavidez has expressed a desire to challenge Usyk at heavyweight, he has said he won’t be ramping up his weight gain anytime soon and is therefore much more likely to receive his next assignment against Bivol.

It then remains to be seen whether Usyk will stay in the sport long enough to face the 29-year-old, which could end up fighting another heavyweight champion.

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Keyshawn Davis missed weight again for the rematch

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Image: Keyshawn Davis Misses Weight Again Ahead Of Nahir Albright Rematch

The weigh-ins quickly turned tense when Albright apparently sent a message directly to Davis during their bout.

“Be a professional,” Albright said in a recording later released by DAZN Boxing.

The lack of weight immediately sparked a backlash online, as Davis has dealt with weight issues before. Last year, Davis lost his WBO lightweight title after losing more than four pounds ahead of his scheduled defense against Edwin De Los Santos.

Friday also marked the second time Davis has failed to make weight in his last three fights.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum admitted that Davis was having difficulty gaining 140 pounds and suggested that the problem may still exist.

“Well, obviously he has issues at 140,” Arum told Fighthype. “The problem is the next category is seven pounds. That’s a gigantic difference.”

Arum also compared Friday’s setback to the loss of Davis, who was previously more than four pounds compact before his canceled fight with De Los Santos last year.

“It was inexcusable because he was five pounds overweight,” Arum said.

“He is now 0.1 weight off which he will improve and get down to 140 or less.”

Keyshawn was later asked by DAZN what he told Albright during Friday’s matchup.

“I didn’t say anything,” Davis said. “That’s what I do. I knock people out.”

When asked what kind of performance he expected in the rematch, Keyshawn gave a compact answer.

“An unexpected spectacle.”

There was already bad blood in the rematch after their first fight in October 2023 was later changed to a no-contest after Keyshawn tested positive for marijuana. Their original meeting initially resulted in Keyshawn winning by a majority vote.

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