Navarrete a possible matchup for Leo Santa Cruz?

WBO Bantamweight champion Emanuel Navarrete (28-1, 24 KOs) had suggested before that he wanted to unify the entire division, but with the recent injury that happened to WBA and IBF champ Daniel Roman, a new idea has sprung up while he recovers.

In a recent interview with Boxingscene.com, Fernando Beltran, Head of Zanfer Promotions which manages Navarrete stated that he might make the leap up and challenge current 126-pound champ, Leo Santa Cruz.

“I see Emanuel entirely cleaning out the division, and then moving up in weight to 126,” Beltran said in an interview to BoxingScene.com. “But if Leo Santa Cruz wants to fight us, we’ll move up all the way to 130. That is a fight I would absolutely consider—tomorrow. Top Rank has done a great job co-promoting him in a Latin town like L.A. with his last fight, and now Las Vegas on Mexican Independence Day weekend. We’re grateful for these opportunities, but we want Santa Cruz.”

Navarrete is scheduled on the main card this Saturday against Juan Miguel Elorde and is heavily favored to retain. Beltran says that Navarrete would be back in action after this match as soon as possible.

“He’s the best 122 pounder in the world. I want to make him famous, and this is a way to do it. He barely fought that night. He’s old school. He wants to be back in the ring immediately. Why wait? Let’s make the fighters fight,” Beltran stated to BoxingScene.com.

Photos: Emanuel Navarrete, Juan Miguel Elorde – Face To Face https://t.co/Ji11FzIQCs pic.twitter.com/0yfOcA20cm

— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) September 13, 2019

Navarette was asked in before if that weight jump would be an issue. Navarrete confirmed that not only it wouldn’t be a problem and is ready to go at will. Santa Cruz is reported that he would make the jump up to 130 and is expected to start fighting at that weight later on this year.

“We feel very good, very strong,” said Navarrete after a recent workout in Tijuana, Mexico. “You have to remember that I fought less than a month ago, so I bring that conditioning and accumulated preparation and right now I feel very strong, very fast, without any weight problems and I’m ready to give a great fight, against a very strong opponent.”

I like the ambition of Navarrete wanting to take on Santa Cruz. We’ll see if the “business of boxing” prevents this from happening, however. Navarrete, if he were to face Santa Cruz, would jump up two weight classes from 122 to 130 and would be in big feat if this match was to come to fruition.