GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Greater Phoenix area will host one of the most hotly anticipated bouts of the year.
Emanuel Navarrete, 39-2-1 (32 KOs) and Eduardo "Sugar" Nunez, 30-1 (28 KOs), meet in a WBO/IBF 130lbs unification bout that has been in the works for months. DAZN will air the scheduled 12-round clash between Mexican rivals Saturday from Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
The venue has a special place in the heart of Navarrete, whose WBO 130lbs title reign began here with a ninth-round knockout of Liam Wilson in February 2023. The bout saw Navarrete suffer his lone career knockdown, before he stormed back to put away the Aussie slugger in their thriller.
Wilson was a replacement for Oscar Valdez, who wasn’t fully healed from previously suffered injuries in time to proceed with the date. Navarrete and Valdez met for the first of two times later that August, also at Desert Diamond Arena where Navarrete earned a competitive but clear unanimous decision victory.
The two met again in a December 2024 rematch at nearby Footprint Center (now Mortgage Matchup Center) in Phoenix, where Navarrete stopped his countryman in six rounds.
Navarrete fought just once in 2025 and it ended in controversy. He was initially awarded a technical decision win over Charly Suarez last May 10 in San Diego. The outcome was neutralized and changed to a no-contest upon further review by the California State Athletic Commission.
Nunez, 30-1 (28 KOs), will attempt his second IBF 130lbs title defense. The 28-year-old knockout artist from Los Mochis claimed the belt in a 12-round unanimous decision over Masanori Rikiishi last May 28 in Yokohama, Japan.
The bout marked Nunez’s first time being extended the distance in a win, a feat he was forced to replicate in a September 6 decision win over Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz at home in Los Mochis.
Prior to the two title fights, Nunez scored 18 consecutive knockouts, including his 11th-round stoppage of former titlist Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov in their February 2024 unification clash.
Saturday will mark the first unification bout for both boxers. The winner must next face Suarez in a WBO mandatory title defense.
BoxingScene will have you covered throughout the main event and select undercard contests, including the co-feature between unbeaten junior welterweight contender Emiliano Vargas, 16-0 (13 KOs), and Argentina's Agustin Quintana, 22-2-1 (13 KOs).
