A rematch between Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez has been ordered by the WBO as a “title consolidation.”
Navarrete still holds the WBO super featherweight title, despite losing in a move up to lightweight against Denys Berinchyk on May 18. Valdez holds the interim WBO title, stopping Liam Wilson to gain that title on Mar. 29.
Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KO) and Valdez (32-2, 24 KO) fought in Aug. 2023, with Navarrete winning a clear and deserved unanimous decision.
Since that fight, Navarrete is 0-1-1, drawing against Robson Conceicao before the move up and loss to Berinchyk. Valdez’s only fight since losing to Navarrete was the win over Wilson.
The teams were ordered to negotiations on Thursday, and have 20 days to reach an agreement before the fight would go to purse bid at a minimum of $150,000, which it would surpass easily.
Ultimately, with both fighters still with Top Rank, it shouldn’t be a tough fight to make, as long as the parties aren’t unrealistic about purse demands or whatever.