Thurman-Garcia: Narvaez vs. Rodriguez Clash is Eyed For Card

By Elisinio Castillo

According to sources in Argentina, former world champion Omar Narvaez is likely heading to New York City in the month of March.

Narvaez (46-2-2, 24 KOs) fought in New York City back in October of 2011, when he lost a twelve round decision to then WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire at the Theater in Madison Square Garden.

This time Narvaez would be traveling to Brooklyn's Barclays Center on March 4th to fight undefeated Puerto Rican Emmanuel Rodriguez in an IBF final eliminator. The winner will be guaranteed a shot at International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight champion Lee Haskins of the UK.

The March event is headlined by a welterweight unification between Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia. The main portions of the card will be televised by CBS.

Narvaez, 41 years old, has won three fights in a row since getting knocked out by the ultra-talented Naoya Inoue on December 30 in Japan.

"Narváez had no choice but to sign for the fight. If he wants another shot at a world title he had to accept it," said Juan Orengo, manager of Rodriguez, to Puerto Rico media.

"Manny rested for ten days and returned to the gym, and he's hungry and willing to fight for the right to be Haskins' challenger. We did not want to miss the opportunity to fight someone of Narvaez's quality and trajectory.

Rodríguez, 24 years old, was born in Manatí, Puerto Rico, and he is the current WBC Latino bantamweight champion and the WBA Fedelatin beltholder in the same division, and has an undefeated record of 15 fights, with 10 of those wins coming in by knockout.

After a busy 2015 where Rodriguez fought four times, he only saw action one time in 2016 with a hard fought decision win over Alberto Guevara at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.