The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) has overturned WBO super featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete’s eighth-round technical decision win over Charly Suarez from May 10th, changing it to a no-contest today, June 2, 2025.
No-Contest Ruling Explained
The ruling by the CSAC doesn’t give Suarez the victory, which some believe he deserves. All it does is leave the fight as if it had never happened. Navarrete’s promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, plans on setting up a rematch. However, Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs) will go into it as the challenger rather than the champion. That means less money.
In the Navarrete-Suarez fight on May 10th at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California, Navarrete (39-2-1, 32 KOs) suffered a deep cut over his left eye in the sixth round, which the referee, Edward Collantes, ruled was caused by a clash of heads. Replays showed that a left hook from Suarez caused it.
The fight was later stopped one second into the eighth round at the advice of the ringside Dr. Robert Ruelaz due to Navarrete having problems seeing out of his left eye due to the blood from his cut. Navarrete, 30, was given an eighth-round technical decision by the scores 77-76, 78-75, and 77-76.
Fans Call Robbery
Many boxing fans felt that Suarez had done enough to win the fight, and they felt it was a robbery. Not only did the referee and the replay official, Jack Reiss, fail to make the correct ruling on the cause of the cut, but the scoring by the three judges didn’t make sense.
The outcome of today’s no-contest ruling by the CSAC means Suarez’s record is now 18-0 once again. Navarrete is still the WBO super featherweight champion. He wasn’t given an eighth-round TKO loss, which some fans believe he should have.
Navarrete Still Champion
Although Navarrete’s victory has been taken away, he’s still the champion and gets a do-over. Suarez gets a second chance. There are reports that the rematch could be staged in Suarez’s home country, the Philippines.
Navarrete needs to trim down because he looked flabby, slow, and tired during the fight. He was at his best in the first three rounds, but gassed out in the fourth. He was getting out-punched and out-hustled by the more physically fit and athletic Suarez.
Last Updated on 06/02/2025
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