FRESNO, California – Tsendbaatar Erdenebat is eyeing a top five junior lightweight opponent, with a keen interest in a bout with WBO junior lightweight titleholder Emanuel Navarrete.
Erdenebat, 13-0 (6 KOs), remained perfect with a 10-round victory Saturday night at Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. The unbeaten 28-year-old outpointed Humberto Galindo, 14-4-3 (11 KOs), a fighter who had knocked down Raymond Muratalla in the same building two years ago, and fought Abraham Nova to a draw in November.
Erdenebat, a two-time Mongolian Olympian now based in Paramount, California, has hopes of soon challenging the reigning WBO 130lbs titleholder.
“WBO world champion Emanuel Navarrete at my weight, fight me,” Erdenebat told BoxingScene. “I want you next.”
Navarrete fought Charly Suarez in May, his only fight of the year. Originally, Navarrete was ruled the winner via a technical decision after a cut was opened on Navarrete’s eye, forcing the stoppage of the bout. The referee ruled the cut to be from a head clash.
Upon replay, it was from a Suarez punch. The decision was overturned, and is now a no-contest. A rematch was also ordered. Jonathan Walley, Erdenebat’s trainer, reflected on what is next for his fighter.
“The type of guys we are looking for are top-five in the world,” Walley said. “He is right there, to where he should be fighting championship-level guys.”
This was Erdenebat’s second fight of the year and fifth 10-round bout. The confidence in Erdenebat is clear, the words concise.
“He can fight anybody,” Walley said. “It doesn’t matter.”
Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.
