The weigh-in between Emanuel Navarrete and Denys Berinchyk revealed that Navarrete weighed in at 135 lbs, while Berinchyk weighed 134.8 lbs. Navarrete, the favorite in this fight with a record of 38-1-1 and 31 KOs, is aiming to win the vacant WBO lightweight title. Interestingly, Navarrete is moving up in weight from 130 to pursue his fourth division world title. It is worth noting that Navarrete currently holds a belt in the super featherweight division with the WBO.
Navarrete will have to deliver a much better performance against Berinchyk than in his previous fight against Robson Conceição. In that contest, Navarrete was unable to secure a victory and ended up with a draw in a title defense of his WBO super featherweight belt. Despite appearing to have lost, Navarrete received a favorable decision from the judges. This raises concerns about Navarrete’s reliance on judges and referees to secure wins, as evident from his disputed results in recent fights.
If Navarrete emerges victorious in the upcoming bout as expected, he could potentially set up a showdown with IBF lightweight champion Vasily Lomachenko. Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has hinted at Navarrete being a possible opponent for Lomachenko in the near future. This matchup could prove to be a significant opportunity for Navarrete to showcase his skills against a top-tier opponent and further solidify his reputation in the boxing world.
In the chief support bout of the event, Giovanni Santillan and Brian Norman Jr. weighed in at 146.4 lbs and 146.5 lbs, respectively, for their fight for the WBO interim welterweight title. The WBO’s decision to not strip current welterweight champion Terence Crawford of his title despite his inactivity in the division has raised questions within the boxing community. The winner of the Santillan vs. Norman Jr. bout is likely to be elevated to full champion status once the WBO takes action against Crawford, signaling a potential changing of the guard in the welterweight division.
Additionally, the weigh-in revealed the weights of other fighters on the card:
– Richard Torrez: 229.9 lbs vs. Brandon Moore: 229.4 lbs
– Jonny Mansour: 134 lbs vs. Anel Dudo: 130.8 lbs
– Emiliano Fernando Vargas: 139.6 lbs vs. Angel Varela: 140 lbs
– Alan Garcia: 137.8 lbs vs. Wilfredo Flores: 136.9 lbs
– Jonathan Lopez: 127.1 lbs vs. Edgar Ortega: 127.6 lbs
– Art Barrera Jr.: 146 lbs
Overall, the weigh-in event provided insights into the fighters’ physical conditions and set the stage for an action-packed night of boxing at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California. With high stakes bouts and potential title implications, fans can expect an exciting showcase of talent and determination from the competitors on fight night.