Still waiting for his shot, WBO mandatory contender Charly Suarez being celebrated in his homeland

While patiently waiting to face the winner of the October 24 unification fight between WBO and IBF junior-lightweight champion Emanuel Navarrete and WBC champ O’Shaquie Foster, WBO #1 contender Charly Suarez returned home to much fanfare (video) this week.

Coming off a first-round knockout over Manuel Avila on ProBoxTV in July Suarez (19-0, 11 KOs), from Manila, Philippines, is best known for his controversial no-contest fight against Navarrete in May of last year, where champion Navarrete suffered a cut over his left eye in round six from what the referee ruled was an accidental clash of heads. 

The cut was deemed severe enough to stop the fight and go to the scorecards, where Navarrete was initially awarded a technical decision.

However, replay footage, post-fight, eventually proved that the cut had been caused by a legal punch from Suarez and that he should have been awarded the TKO victory. The California State Athletic Commission subsequently overturned Navarrete’s win and changed the result to a no-contest.

As a result of the controversial outcome, the WBO ordered an immediate rematch between the pair, which has yet to materialize. 

Navarrete was instead allowed to unify titles by defeating IBF champion Eduardo Nunez by eleventh-round stoppage in February and has now been permitted to do the same against Foster in late October. 

Thus, the 38-year-old Suarez now waits to face the winner of Navarrete-Foster, as the WBO has promised him a shot at the winner within 180 days.

The delay gave Suarez time to return home, where he is being celebrated by his countrymen and his comrades in the Philippine army in which he serves.