Emanuel Navarrete looked sharp and reenergized tonight, knocking out Oscar Valdez in the sixth round to retain the WBO super featherweight championship in their rematch in Phoenix.
Navarrete dropped Valdez in the first, fourth, and sixth rounds, and snapped a two-fight winless streak by out-gunning his rival for a second time, this time winning inside the distance.
The knockout came on a lovely shot to the body, which Valdez tried to get up from but it just wasn’t in the legs for him anymore.
Navarrete (39-2-1, 32 KO) had questions about his conditioning and dedication after going 0-1-1 in two bouts following his 2023 win over Valdez, and also had to have a hand surgery, which he says was the major issue in recent performances.
But whether Navarrete struggled chiefly because of the hand or in addition to other issues, this was clearly a more vintage version of “Vaquero,” who looked in very good shape and was just the better man against the game but overwhelmed Valdez (32-2, 24 KO).
It’s the first stoppage loss of the 33-year-old Valdez’s career, and he’s now 2-3 in his last five fights dating back to 2022.
Here’s a look at all the knockdowns, including the KO:
