Emanuel Navarrete (32-1, 28 KOs) returned to the ring last month in a stay-busy fight in Mexico, as he tested the waters in the featherweight division.
The current WBO super bantamweight world champion is still hoping to get one of the other champions in the ring for a high-stakes unification.
He admits that it wasn't easy to prepare himself during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
"It was very complicated to make a preparation in the midst of the pandemic, but you have to keep going. I felt good and there were things that we have to correct in the next preparation. I am very happy that I was considered for the return of boxing," Navarrete acknowledged in an interview on the ' Boxeo a la Carrera ' podcast.
Navarrete had recently made it known that he would consider a fight with Naoya Inoue, who holds the WBA, IBF world titles at bantamweight, Inoue is open to having that contest as well, but doubts the Mexican fighter will be around long enough at 122-pounds.
"I have said it and I will say it again, if there is a unification we will wait [before deciding to move up]. Depending on the negotiations we will stay [at 122] or we won't, but if there is nothing concrete and we see everything being too far away I will go up to featherweight without any problem," Navarrete said.
Another option that he doesn't rule out, is facing the WBO champion at 126-pounds, undefeated Olympian Shakur Stevenson. There is also the possibility that Navarrete will wait for Stevenson to move up to 130-pounds, which may happen soon, because that will allow the Mexican slugger to fight for the vacant title.
"I do not shy away from any champion, it would be a great fight [with Stevenson]. My intention is to continue breaking forward as I have been doing up until this point," Navarrete said.