Navarrete looks to continue KO streak Saturday night

One of the most explosive smaller weight fighters in the world will be back in action for the first time post-Covid 19 on Saturday night in Mexico. That’s when, WBO Jr. Featherweight Champion, Emanuel Navarrete, looks to continue his “knockout momentum” and while moving up in weight.

Navarrete will headline in a 10 round main event at 126 lb. for the first time in his career, when he steps in the TV Azteca studio ring with no fans in Mexico City late Saturday night and to be televised on ESPN.

The 25 year old Navarrete had put together an impressive string of championship wins by knockout prior to the Coronavirus shutdown of the sport in mid-March. This, however, will be a non-title affair, as Navarrete will fight at Featherweight against Uriel Lopez.

Navarrete, who has explosive power in both hands, was last in the ring on the undercard of Tyson Fury- Deontay Wilder battle in February in Vegas. That’s when he scored an 11th round TKO over Jeo Santisima running his record to 31-1, 27 KOs.

Here’s an ESPN preview feature on Navarrete heading into tonight:

Navarrete. Tonight. ⁦@trboxing⁩ pic.twitter.com/rgotpmGBN1

— Mark Kriegel (@MarkKriegel) June 20, 2020

Navarrete did suffer a right hand injury early on in the win, but announced in April that the hand was not broken and had not required any surgery. Further, he said would be fully healed for a fight in the Summer.

Known as “El Vaquero” or The Cowboy, Navarrete had been one of the most active World Champs in the last 18 months. This includes five championship victories in a nine month period, and all by KO, starting back in May of 2019 through this February.

Navarrete, who has won 26 fights in a row since suffering his only pro loss in his sixth bout, said previously about the hand healing and his desire to return to the ring quickly,

“I am training and taking care of myself until this pandemic ends, to be among the first to raise my hand and fight.

I’m fine now, I had tendonitis, rest and medication have completely restored me, I’m already punching and I haven’t had any problems,”