PHOENIX, Ariz. (Oct. 16, 2024) — Get ready for Fight Night with a Vengeance, two world championship rematches with Grand Canyon-sized stakes.
Three-division world champ Emanuel “El Vaquero” Navarrete defends his WBO junior lightweight world title against one-time rival Oscar Valdez in an all-Mexican main event on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
In the co-feature, WBO featherweight world champion Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza defends his crown against Cuban star Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez, the man he dethroned to win the title last December.
Promoted by Top Rank, Navarrete-Valdez II and Espinoza-Ramirez II will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT. Sky Sports will have coverage in the U.K. and Ireland.
Tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 25 at 12 p.m. PST via Ticketmaster.com.
“December 7 is going to be a special night in Phoenix, as we have two 50/50 rematches of incredible fights,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Navarrete and Valdez are two of the greatest Mexican warriors the sport has seen, and I expect another toe-to-toe battle. I thought the first Espinoza-Ramirez fight was the 2023 Fight of the Year, and I expect the 13th round to pick up where the dramatic 12th left off.”
Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KOs) tasted world title glory for the first time in December 2018 by upsetting Isaac Dogboe for the WBO junior featherweight belt. He defended it five times before moving up to featherweight, where he defeated Ruben Villa to become a two-division champion. After three successful defenses, he nabbed junior lightweight gold, stopping Liam Wilson in the ninth round to secure the WBO strap. The 29-year-old has defended this crown twice, including a decision win over Valdez in their first clash in August 2023. Navarrete's bid to become only the sixth Mexican to become a four-division champ fell short in May, as he dropped a decision to Denys Berinchyk for the vacant WBO lightweight championship.
“The fans will see the same 'Vaquero' as always. We're working hard to regain the aggressiveness that defines me and give all the fans the intense fight they want to see on December 7,” Navarrete said. “I still have a lot to do and big goals to accomplish in boxing, including unifying my title and possibly moving back up to 135 pounds."
Before turning pro, Valdez (32-2, 24 KOs) represented Mexico in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. He won his first world title in 2016 by beating Matias Rueda for the WBO featherweight crown, defending it six times before moving up to junior lightweight, where he authored a career-defining knockout of Miguel Berchelt in February 2021 to claim the WBC title. After a grueling win over Robson Conceição, Valdez endured his first pro defeat in a high-stakes unification tilt against Shakur Stevenson in April 2022. The 33-year-old bounced back with a decision win over Adam Lopez in May 2023 before the Navarrete encounter. In March, Valdez captured the interim WBO junior lightweight title with a seventh-round TKO of Wilson.
"I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to fight for the WBO world title against a great fighter like ‘Vaquero’ Navarrete. Although we lost the first fight, we stayed disciplined and focused on returning stronger,” Valdez said. “I know it’s a tough challenge, but not impossible. With that in mind, we returned to the gym and studied what we did wrong in the first fight to avoid making the same mistakes. I’m excited and confident that we will be victorious this time."
Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) fought all but two of his pro fights in Mexico before facing Ramirez in Pembroke Pines, Florida. He recovered from a fifth-round knockdown to put Ramirez on the canvas in the pivotal 12th round. Espinoza prevailed by majority decision in ESPN’s Upset of the Year and made his first title defense in June with a fourth-round TKO over Mexican countryman Sergio Chirino. Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs), a two-time Olympic gold medalist, made one defense of the WBO title he won via unanimous decision over Dogboe in April 2023.
Espinoza said, “I know the fans, just like me, have been looking forward to this fight. It’s a fight that I wanted. I’m very motivated and happy, and I’m training at 100 percent. This night of rematches will be great for Mexico, and I’m ready to give it my all, just like I always do.”
“Our first fight was extremely close, action-packed, and regarded by many as ‘Fight of the Year,’” Ramirez said. “Since the cards were read, my team and I have been asking for the rematch. On December 7, I’m coming to erase any doubts. I will reclaim my title.”
The ESPN+—streamed undercard will feature Mexican junior welterweight contender Lindolfo Delgado (21-0, 15 KOs) in a 10-rounder versus Jackson Marinez (22-3, 10 KOs). Delgado made his mark in August 2022, stunning previously unbeaten Omar Aguilar by unanimous decision in an eight-round slugfest. He carried that momentum into 2023, going 3-0 in 2023. Delgado is 2-0 thus far in 2024. He stopped Carlos Sanchez in seven rounds in March before securing a gritty split decision win over Bryan Flores in August. Marinez has fallen short against Rolando Romero, Richard Commey, and Frank Martin. He has won three straight by knockout in two rounds or less.
Emiliano Fernando Vargas (12-0, 10 KOs) targets his fifth win of the year in an eight-round junior welterweight clash against Alan Ayala (11-4, 7 KOs). In his latest performance, Vargas overwhelmed Larry Fryers in September via fifth-round TKO.
Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. (11-0, 10 KOs) returns in an eight-round heavyweight tilt against an opponent to be named. Torrez knocked out Don Haynesworth in one round in March before a statement fifth-round stoppage over then-unbeaten Brandon Moore in May. In September, he faced veteran Joey Dawejko, who was disqualified for repeatedly spitting out his mouthpiece.
