Oscar Valdez (L) and Emanuel Navarrete (R) exchange punches during their WBO junior lightweight bout at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images)
Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez will get an upgrade in their rematch.
A ring learned that a second action between the Mexican rivals is scheduled for Dec. 7. A possible venue for the ESPN event is the Footprint Center, home of the NBA's Phoenix Suns.
Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 knockouts), No. 1 at 130, will also put his WBO 130-pound title on the line. Valdez (32-2, 24 KOs), No. 3 at 130, holds the interim version of the belt and is a mandatory challenger.
The WBO ordered the unification fight on June 19, one month after Navarrete failed to claim the lightweight belt.
Navarrete outpointed Valdez in their all-action 130-pound title fight last August 12 at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. That location — about 20-25 minutes from the Footprint Center — played a key role in the rivalry. Navarrete survived a knockdown to stop Australia's Liam Wilson in the ninth round of their February 2020 vacant WBO 130-pound title fight.
Valdez stopped Wilson (13-3, 7 KOs) in the seventh round of their interim WBO title fight on March 29 at the Desert Diamond Arena. The situation was given as Navarrete was scheduled to challenge for the WBO lightweight title. That bid ended with a twelve-round loss to Denis Berinchyk (19-0, 9 KOs), No. 5 out of 135.
The loss snapped a 34-fight unbeaten streak in a three-way stretch from San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico. Navarrete was allowed to retain his WBO 130-pound title, although he was ordered to face Valdez again.
Navarrete is undefeated since beating Valdez. He fought to a twelve-round draw with Robson Conceicao (19-2-1, 9 KOs) last November 16 in Las Vegas before his loss to Berinchyk.
Valdez moved up to the top of the 130-pound division after defeating Miguel Berchelt on Feb. 2021 to win the WBC title.
One successful defense followed before he lost the belt to Shakur Stevenson (22-0, 10 KOs) in their April 2022 unification bout. Stevenson, ranked No. 4 at 135, won by unanimous decision to claim The Ring championship and unify the belts in WBC and WBO.
Valdez struggled to regain his title fight form after the loss to Stevenson. The two-time Olympian from Mexico and former two-division champion had been out of action for 13 months before taking on Adam Lopez (17-6, 6 KOs) in their rematch last May 20 in Las Vegas. He then lost to Navarrete and sat out the rest of the year, allowing various wounds—and his pride—to heal.
Defeating Wilson breathed new life into Valdez's career. It comes at a time when Navarrete needs a win more than ever, a reversal of roles from their first fight even though Valdez still enters as a contender.
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