Philippines, 18 Apr 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


May 10: Emanuel Navarrete-Charly Suarez Junior Lightweight Title Showdown & Raymond Muratalla-Zaur Abdullaev Interim Lightweight Title Fight

PhilBoxing.com





Loaded Fight Night at Pechanga Arena San Diego LIVE on ESPN

San Diego-born welterweight contender Giovani Santillan returns in undercard action
Tickets go on sale Friday, March 28, at 12 p.m. PT via AXS.com

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (March 25, 2025) — The next chapter in the storied Mexico vs. Philippines boxing rivalry is about to be written.

Mexican three-division king Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete will defend his WBO junior lightweight world championship against undefeated Filipino contender Charly Suarez on Saturday, May 10, at Pechanga Arena San Diego.

In the co-feature for the vacant interim IBF lightweight world title, SoCal native Raymond Muratalla will fight Russia’s Zaur Abdullaev.

Navarrete-Suarez and Muratalla-Abdullaev will be broadcast LIVE on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets go on sale Friday, March 28, at 12 p.m. PT via AXS.com.

“San Diego is an incredible fight town, and we are thrilled to return with Emanuel Navarrete, who will go down as one of the great Mexican champions of his era,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Charly Suarez is a determined, unbeaten contender who will have everyone in the Philippines cheering him on. Raymond Muratalla is an elite lightweight but has a tall task against Abdullaev, who has been on a tremendous run for several years.”

Navarrete (39-2-1, 32 KOs) returns to the site of perhaps his greatest professional disappointment. Last May at Pechanga Arena, he moved up five pounds to battle Denys Berinchyk for the vacant WBO lightweight world title. Berinchyk upset Navarrete by split decision, spoiling his dream of becoming a four-weight world champion. In his return to 130 pounds last December, Navarrete was in vintage form, stopping Oscar Valdez in a rematch over six one-sided rounded rounds in Phoenix, Arizona. Navarrete enters his 16th world title bout, a staggering run that began in December 2018 with his upset of Isaac Dogboe for the WBO junior featherweight crown.

Navarrete said, “I'm at a new stage of my career, and I’m fired up for another defense of my world title. This fight motivates me. Suarez is undefeated and dangerous. He’s ranked No. 1 in the world for a reason. He’s exactly the kind of challenge that fuels me. I owe the fans in San Diego a win, and on May 10, I’ll settle that debt with a dominant victory.”

Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs) had several hundred fights as an amateur, representing his homeland at the 2016 Olympics and several World Championships. A six-year pro, he won a pair of regional titles in March 2023 when he scored a come-from-behind 12th-round stoppage over Paul Fleming on hostile turf in Sydney, Australia. The Fleming triumph paved the way for a deal with Top Rank, and Suarez has won three straight fights in America. He knocked out Jorge Castañeda in three rounds last September, which came five months removed from a hard-fought eight-round decision over Louie Coria. The Philippines has two reigning world champions — 105-pound standouts Melvin Jerusalem and Pedro Taduran — and Suarez looks to become lucky number three.

Suarez said, “I am thankful to Top Rank for this opportunity. When I enter the ring on May 10, I will show the world I have what it takes. I won’t waste this opportunity. Navarrete is a monster in the ring, but I know I am better.”

Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs), from Fontana, California, returns to his home state for the first time in over two years. On that March 2023 evening in Fresno, he rose from a first-round knockdown to knock out Humberto Galindo in nine. Since that brief hiccup, Muratalla has steadily climbed the ranks, including knocking out the big-punching Jeremia Nakathila in two and outlasting former world champion Tevin Farmer over 10 rounds en route to a unanimous decision. Last November, he iced Jesus Perez in two rounds to earn this shot at the interim world title.

“I’ve been working toward this my whole life. Every fighter dreams of becoming a world champion, and on May 10, I take a big step toward making that a reality,” Muratalla said. “Zaur Abdullaev is a good fighter. He’s beaten tough opponents, including former world champions, but I’m done waiting. I’m highly ranked and have put in the work. It’s my time now. When I take that interim title, the Raymond Muratalla era begins."

Abdullaev (20-1, 12 KOs) hasn't lost in more than five years, having won nine straight fights since falling via fourth-round TKO to Devin Haney in September 2019. His string of victories includes a 12th-round stoppage of three-weight world champion Jorge Linares, a convincing 12-round decision over one-time WBC lightweight world champion Dejan Zlatičanin, a third-round stoppage of then-unbeaten contender Roman Andreev, and a 10-round decision over Venezuelan former junior lightweight world champion Roger Gutierrez. Last October, Abdullaev battered Argentina’s Juan Javier Carrasco en route to a 12th-round TKO.

“I’m coming to America ready to take this belt,” Abdullaev said. “Muratalla is a top contender, but I have the skills and experience needed to emerge victorious.”

The ESPN+-streamed undercard includes some local flavor as welterweight contender Giovani Santillan (33-1, 18 KOs) looks to maintain his momentum against Angel Beltran (18-2-1, 11 KOs) in a 10-rounder. After losing his “0” via TKO last May at Pechanga Arena, “El Gallo De Oro” returned to winning ways in December with a first-round stoppage of Fredrick Lawson. Beltran, from Mexicali, Mexico, is coming off a third-round KO of Jose Quintero Velarde earlier this month.




Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Beltran faces Crenz in WBC Grand Prix
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 17 Apr 2025
  • Into to fight Jones in WBC Grand Prix
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 17 Apr 2025
  • USA Boxing International Concludes Day Two Competition
    , Thu, 17 Apr 2025
  • Little Pancho: A Filipino Fighter in the Ring, an American Soldier to the End
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Thu, 17 Apr 2025
  • Beltran ready to fight in WBC Grand Prix
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 17 Apr 2025
  • Arca stuns English GM, maintains share of top spot in Bangkok Chess Open
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 17 Apr 2025
  • Melvin’s target is Collazo
    By Joaquin Henson, , Thu, 17 Apr 2025
  • Piala fights Choki in WBC Grand Prix
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 17 Apr 2025
  • There will be NO DRAWS at the World Boxing Council Grand Prix in Riyadh
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 17 Apr 2025
  • WBC Boxing Grand Prix set April 17-20
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 17 Apr 2025
  • ROY JONES JR BOXING PRESENTS “FIGHT NIGHT AT THE GILLESPIE” DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE, KY SATURDAY, APRIL 19
    , Thu, 17 Apr 2025
  • Day One of the 2025 USA Boxing International Open Concludes
    , Thu, 17 Apr 2025
  • LA28 Celebrates Updated Olympic Venue Plan Showcasing the Best of Los Angeles on the World Stage
    , Thu, 17 Apr 2025
  • Memo in Navarrete’s camp
    By Joaquin Henson, , Wed, 16 Apr 2025
  • Dubs Hold Off Grizzlies, 121-116 to Clinch #7 Playoff Spot in the West
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Wed, 16 Apr 2025
  • PH Teen Arca Upsets Super GM Gustafsson
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 16 Apr 2025
  • SMITH: I'LL PROVE WHY I'M MANDATORY FOR THE WBC WORLD TITLE
    , Wed, 16 Apr 2025
  • UNDEFEATED STANFORD SENIOR DANTE “THE INFERNO” KIRKMAN RETURNS MAY 24 IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
    , Wed, 16 Apr 2025
  • The Past Week in Action 14 April 2025: Ennis Retires Stanionis in 6, Unifies IBF/WBA Welter Titles; Spencer Defeats Suarez; Pro Boxing Returns in Cuba; Astrolabio, Nietes Win in Manila
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 15 Apr 2025
  • What Happened to the Goodman Fight? Inoue on Replacement, Mismatch Spree
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Tue, 15 Apr 2025
  • Ambuang wins 1799 Below FIDE Tournament in Tangub City
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 15 Apr 2025
  • FUNDORA VS. BADILLO UNDERCARD TO BE STACKED WITH GOLDEN BOY’S FUTURE STARS
    , Tue, 15 Apr 2025
  • NM Nika Juris Nicolas finishes fourth in Cincinnati Chess Open
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 15 Apr 2025
  • May 10: Andres Cortes-Salvador Jimenez Junior Lightweight Showdown Featured on Navarrete-Suarez Undercard at Pechanga Arena San Diego LIVE on ESPN+
    , Tue, 15 Apr 2025
  • BOOTS AND HEARN TELL WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONS – DARE TO BE GREAT!
    , Tue, 15 Apr 2025




  •  



     
    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
    © 2025 philboxing.com.