Boxing Challenge: Navarrete outpoints Gonzalez

      In what was a rousing affair, Emanuel Navarrete retained his WBO featherweight title with an exciting unanimous decision victory over a dead-game Joet Gonzalez in San Diego.

Both fighters landed their fair share of punches but no one yet has been able to match Navarrete's vast punch output and that made the difference in a fight without a knockdown.

The fight had its share of gritty moments, mostly due to several low blows landed by Gonzalez, none of which caused a point deduction from the referee for some reason.

Navarrete's punches cut Gonzalez under both eyes with the worse cut alongside his right eye which caused severe swelling as well.

I would not be surprised a bit if Gonzalez did not suffer some damage or even a break of his cheekbone or orbital socket.

For Gonzalez, who suffered his second loss, it was a fine performance that established himself as a legitimate contender in the division, which was fair to question after being dominated by Shakur Stevenson two years ago.

As for Navarrete, who doesn't really have anyone in the division that would be easy to face with the other three champions (WBA Leo Santa Cruz and WBC Gary Russell are with PBC while IBF champion Kid Galahad is promoted by Matchroom), he called out a surprising name that would not only be easy to make but one that would be another strong action fight to boot.

WBC junior lightweight champion Oscar Valdez was thought to be preparing to face the winner of next weekend's WBO title match between champion Jamel Herring and challenger Shakur Stevenson but not only would a Valdez-Navarrette fight threaten to be a fight of the year candidate but also allow for the Herring-Stevenson winner (Stevenson is a solid favorite) perhaps look for unification against the winner of the vacant IBF title bout (Shavkat Rakhimov vs Azinga Fuzile) or should Roger Gutierrez emerge with the full WBA title after his bout with Chris Colbert (Colbert is with PBC, so I don't like the chances there) a Gutierrez fight could happen.

I'd really like to see a Valdez-Navarrete battle as its almost a guaranteed war and while I'd eventually like to see Shakur Stevenson and Valdez duke it out (or Navarrete should he win), I don't think seeing it early in 2022 compared to late 2022 is a big deal if that's what it takes for Valdez-Navarrete to be signed.

In the boxing challenge, I scored two points to Ramon Malpica's one to change the scoreboard to 137-117.