Top Rank will not be able to proceed with plans for a boxing event in New York City on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day parade, so Saturday’s show will have to satisfy that demand.  

Emanuel Navarrete (33-1, 28KOs) marches into enemy territory, as the streaking Mexican defends his WBO featherweight belt versus Puerto Rico’s Christopher ‘Pitufo’ Diaz (26-2, 16KOs). The title fight headlines an ESPN doubleheader, airing live Saturday evening in front of a sellout crowd at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida.

Also on the main telecast, Nuyorican knockout artist Edgar Berlanga (16-0, 16KOs) looks to extend his 16-fight 1st round knockout streak versus fellow puncher Demond Nicholson (23-3-1, 20KOs) of Laurel, Maryland. Their super middleweight bout is scheduled for eight rounds.

RESULTS

Orlando ‘Capu’ Gonzalez was forced to survive yet another stiff test in order to remain unbeaten.

The streaking featherweight prospect from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico outfought a determined Juan Antonio Lopez to take an eight-round unanimous decision win. Scored were 78-74, 79-73 and 79-73 in favor of Gonzalez in their spirited preliminary bout.

The threat of an upset never transpired, though Gonzalez (17-0, 10KOs) found himself in a real fight. Dallas’ Lopez (15-9, 6KOs) showed his mettle in testing another promising featherweight prospect in Raymond Ford prior to suffering a 7th round stoppage last December in San Antonio. Gonzalez fought at an aggressive pace, opening a cut just outside of Lopez’s right eye while dealing with a nick under his right eye. Enough left hands landed for the Puerto Rican southpaw to pick up where he left off in a three-win 2020 campaign.

Jeremy ­Adorno remained a step ahead of Ramiro Martinez every step of the way in their firefight to preserve his unbeaten record. The 20-year-old from Allentown, Pennsylvania by way of Manuela Perez, Puerto Rico gutted out a four-round majority decision victory, with scores of 39-37 and 40-36 in his favor overruling a 38-38 card.

Adorno (5-0, 1KO) was fighting for the first time since last January, sharing a card with older brother Joseph Adorno (14-0-1, 12KOs) who faces Jamaine Ortiz later this evening. The younger Adorno primed the rabid crowd, bringing the fight directly to Martinez, a Texas-based Mexican who never backed down. Adorno won the majority of the exchanges, effective with his right hook and straight left, though Martinez (2-1-2, 1KO) managed to hurt Adorno on at least two occasions.

The relentless pressure by Adorno ultimately proved to be the difference. Proof of the effectiveness of Adorno’s jab and right hand was evident on the face of Martinez, who was left with a swollen left eye and his first career defeat for his trouble.

Jaycob Gomez kicked things off on the ESPN+ streamed undercard, scoring a 1st round knockout of Mobley Villegas in the opening bout of the evening.

Gomez was in power punching mode from the opening bell. The 19-year-old from Caguas, Puerto Rico worked the body of Villegas, quickly breaking down the Amarillo, Texas native before dialing in with his right hook. The Puerto Rican southpaw floored Villegas midway through the round, remaining poised as his opponent beat the count.

A three-punch combination produced the end of the fight, as Gomez (2-0, 2KOs) connected with a right hook, straight left and right hook to put Villegas (3-2, 2KOs) down for the full ten count at 2:38 of round one.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox