SAN BERNARDINO, California – Nearly 14 months out of the ring did nothing to calm Charly Suarez’s push to stand as a world champion, as he crushed Manuel Avila by first-round knockout Saturday.
Suarez, the WBO mandatory challenger to unified champion Emanuel Navarrete of Mexico, belted Avila with crisp right hands before ending him on a right flush on the jaw 2 minutes, 31 seconds into the opening frame in the ProBoxTV co-main event at National Orange Show Events Center.
“I spoke of knocking him out quick,” Suarez 19-0 (11 KOs), said. “I listened to my coach and upgraded my training and I did my best in the ring.”
The victory provides Suarez, 37, the WBO international super-featherweight belt and strengthens his claim for a rematch with Mexico’s WBO/IBF champion Navarrete, 40-2-1 (33 KOs).
Suarez and Navarrete fought to a tightly contested May 2025 bout in San Diego that wound up being ruled a no-contest when a Suarez punch that cut Navarrete and stopped the fight in the eighth round was ruled an accidental headbutt in the ring, allowing Navarrete to retain the WBO belt.
The WBO ordered a rematch but Navarrete then moved to a unification victory and is now in talks to fight WBC champion O’Shaquie Foster for a third belt.
“For me, I’m waiting for Navarrete because there’s a lot of people waiting for that fight,” Suarez said.
Certainly, Saturday’s showing keeps interest strong.
“Yes, in my mind, winning early by the first, second round, that was my plan,” Suarez said.
Should Navarrete win approval to fight Foster for all three belts, there is a plan in place for Suarez to meet former three-division champion Vasiliy Lomachenko next, with the winner fighting the Navarrete-Foster winner for three 130lbs belts.
Lomachenko announced he was coming out of retirement earlier this year.
“It depends on my promoter, Sampson [Lewkowicz]. He knows what is good for me. I trust him so much – with everything,” Suarez said. “He knows the best fight for me.”
Lewkowicz has told BoxingScene he has yet to be presented with the Lomachenko plan. The 38-year-old Ukrainian is a two-time Olympic champion who fought for a world title in his second pro bout.
“Yes, we know Lomachenko is a good fighter and boxer,” Suarez said. “Everybody knows him.”
Many more are aware of Suarez now, as well. The Philippines soldier closed his interview by saluting his fellow citizens.
“This is for the Filipino people who work for me and support me,” he said.
Later Saturday night in ProBox TV action, gay fighter Oscar Bonifacino was edged by Spain featherweight Raul Escudero; super-bantamweights Christian Tinoco and Michael Fernandez fought to a draw; and super-flyweight Diego Aviles swept the scorecards 60-54 versus Jaime Jasso to improve to 6-0.
