Philippines, 16 Jan 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Mig's loss nothing to be ashamed of


PhilBoxing.com



Elorde hits Navarrete with a left straight.

Challenger Juan Miguel Elorde fought valiantly but couldn?t hold back WBO superbantamweight champion Emanuel Navarrete who retained his title on a fourth round stoppage at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas last Saturday night (yesterday morning, Manila time).

Referee Russell Mora stepped in at the 0:26 mark as Elorde?s knees buckled and his legs wobbled after he took a vicious right hook to the jaw. Mora gave Elorde a mandatory eight-count late in the previous stanza when he fell from a left hook although the ropes held him up.

Elorde came out firing in the first round, throwing combinations to the head and landing short hooks to the body. Navarrete found his range in the second canto and repeatedly caught Elorde coming in with left uppercuts and hooks. In the third, Navarrete drew blood from Elorde?s nose and unleashed power punches from all angles. Despite the Mexican?s furious two-fisted assault, Elorde never backed down and stood his ground. A left hook would?ve sent Elorde to the canvas on the seat of his pants but he fell onto the ropes instead with a second left in the round. Under the rules, a knockdown is counted if a fighter is held up by the ropes going down.


Referee Russell Mora stops the fight and comforts Elorde as Navarrete celebrates.

Before the start of the fourth, Elorde?s cornerman Marvin Somodio asked Mora to watch the action closely, meaning to stop it before something serious happens. He didn?t want Elorde to take any more unnecessary punishment. ?Sabi ko kay Mig, one more round,? said Somodio. ?Ayaw ni Mig sumuko, hirap na siyang huminga kasi may dugo ang kaniyang ilong. Warrior si Mig. Dugong Elorde. Walang takot, nakipagsabayan kay Navarrete. Hanga ako sa puso niya.?

Somodio said viewing Navarrete?s past fights, he saw a flaw. ?Slow starter siya kaya sa first round, active at aggressive si Mig,? he said. ?But Navarrete?s too strong. Sa second round, pumasok na mga counter ni Navarrete. I wanted Mig to move and box but it?s his instinct to exchange. Actually, I never expected Mig to fight like he did. I?m proud of what he showed.?

There was no protest from Elorde?s camp when Mora waved it off. ?Accepted namin,? he said. ?Mig was sad, disappointed. But nobody wanted him hurt. The referee stopped it at the right time.?

Elorde said he?s not done fighting. ?Sana mabigyan pa ako ng pagkakataon,? he said. ?Tingin ko, lumaban ako ng maganda. Navarrete is a great champion. Malakas din siya. Medyo naalangan lang din ako noong dumugo yung ilong ko kaya tinatamaan ako. Kaya ko naman ang suntok niya. Tinatamaan ko din naman siya, naramdaman ko ?yun. Ang upper lang niya, ?di ko masyado makita. Tinamaan ako sa second round. Bawi na lang siguro. Pahinga muna at salamat sa lahat sa suporta.?

Elorde?s father Johnny, who was in his corner with Somodio, son Bai and strength/conditioning coach Dan Rose, said: ?Naunahan lang kami. Tinamaan sa ilong si Mig at medyo nahirapan huminga. Pero magandang laban. Tinatamaan din namin si Navarrete at nailang din. Importante ay OK naman si Mig at experience ?yun. Lumaban naman ng maganda.?

Elorde?s mother Liza said, ?We?re all proud of Mig. He gave a good fight. For him, I know it?s not the end of his boxing career. As a mother, it?s difficult but I?m thankful to God because he?s OK and not hurt. That is what?s important for me. You win some, you lose some. Mig lost to a great champion but he fought courageously. He never ran, never backed down. Daddy (Mig?s grandfather Flash Elorde) would?ve been proud.?

Elorde, 32, scaled 121 1/4 for the fight while Navarrete, 24, tipped in at 121 3/4. The win raised the Mexican?s record to 29-1, with 15 KOs. The loss snapped Elorde?s streak of 18 straight wins and dipped his record to 28-2, with 15 KOs.

Navarrete?s previous fight was only 28 days ago and this was his third title defense since wresting the crown from Isaac Dogboe last December. He had only a two-day rest from halting challenger Francisco De Vaca in Los Angeles last Aug. 17 but there were no signs of burn-out at all. Elorde was offered to fight Navarrete on three weeks notice and was in training to stake his WBO Asia-Pacific title against Japan?s Daisuke Sugita on Sept. 21. The Sugita bout was postponed for Elorde to seize the chance of a lifetime and achieve his dream of fighting for a world title.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Usyk Linked to Zuffa Boxing Deal as Questions Loom Over Title Defenses
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Abass Baraou: "No One Has Been Able to Withstand My Pressure!"
    , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Wise Owl Boxing Signs Rising Female Star Chantel “Chicanita” Navarro
    , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Mauricio Sulaiman: WBC wants to protect fighters' dream of becoming a world champion
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Xander Zayas: "It's Time to Make History!"
    , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Weights from Trenton, NJ
    , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Pro Boxer and Recent Grad Returns for Fight Night on the Farm — Celebrating Stanford’s Boxing Community
    , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Jamaine Ortiz Aims to Derail Keyshawn Davis’ Undefeated Streak at Madison Square Garden
    , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • “No bad blood from me”- Good friends become better rivals – Clarke is ready for Cruiserweight title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
    , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • Itauma suffers injury; Magnificent 7 rescheduled to March 28
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • Top Super Lightweights Bryan Flores & Starling Castillo Battle in 10-Round Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’
    , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • Harden surpasses Shaquille O'Neal's to become the ninth all-time leading scorer in NBA history
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • “It’s time, LFG” - Holly McMath Trilogy for WBC Title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • IBA President Kremlev encourages sporting organisations to protect women’s sport following Trump’s statement on Imane Khelif
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • REYES, STRICKLAND, BUSTAMANTE & SOUQUET SET FOR HISTORIC SHOWDOWN AT WNT LEGENDS – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • Pumicpic fights Korean in Japan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • No. 1 rated WBA Super Flyweight contender John “Scrappy” Ramirez remains patient and Looks forward to a 2026 World title shot
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • Ironman 70.3 Davao on March 22
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 12 JANUARY 2026: Dalton Smith Halts Subriel Matias in 5; Kabayel Stops Knyba in 3
    By Eric Armit, , Mon, 12 Jan 2026
  • Chess Players Association of Negros Occidental, Incorporated (CPANOI) – 2026 Opening Event
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 12 Jan 2026
  • STUNNING SMITH DESTROYS MATIAS TO BECOME WORLD CHAMPION
    , Sun, 11 Jan 2026
  • Former WBC champ Bazooka Limón hospitalized in Mexico
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 11 Jan 2026
  • Zuffa Boxing set to unveil its maiden card on January 23 in Las Vegas
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 10 Jan 2026
  • ‘I’ve got an army and army’s move in numbers’ Owen Corrigan returns for Light Heavyweight title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
    , Sat, 10 Jan 2026
  • Pasalamat Festival Chess Tour 2026 to Push Through
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 10 Jan 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.