Navarrete, Valdez hope to emulate legendary Barrera-Morales fights

Hall of Famers will be ringside to watch Mexican countrymen throw down in heavily anticipated junior lightweight title bout

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The expectations heaped on the fight between WBO junior lightweight titlist Emanuel Navarrete and former junior lightweight and featherweight titleholder Oscar Valdez are not exactly subtle.

They are Mexican fighters renowned for the action-packed bouts, which is why most believe they will produce a classic in the main event of a Top Rank Boxing on ESPN tripleheader on Saturday (ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET with preliminaries on ESPN+ beginning at 7:15 p.m. ET) at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

The fighters believe it will be an all-action battle and so to do most fans and promoter Top Rank, which if there was any doubt about its expectations, Mexican legends and Hall of Famers Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales were invited to be part of the fight week festivities.

Barrera and Morales, of course, are two of the most revered action fighters of all time. They squared off three times in one of the greatest trilogies in boxing history between 2000 and 2004, a series Barrera won 2-1.

All three were world title bouts in different divisions and were close decisions. No. 1, a junior featherweight unification fight, was the 2000 fight of the year. No. 3, a junior lightweight championship bout, was the 2004 fight of the year.

“To know that two legends from an important Mexican trilogy (are here) during fight week gives us some added pressure,” Navarrete said through an interpreter. “They set the bar really high. What they did is difficult to do, let alone surpass. But Valdez and I have what it takes to leave a similar mark.”

Valdez, who is a Barrera fan but counts Morales as his boxing idol, knows there are lofty expectations. When he challenged then-WBC junior lightweight titleholder and countryman Miguel Berchelt in February 2021 there were similar expectations for their bout, but the underdog Valdez dominated before spectacularly knocking Berchelt out in the 10th round.

Valdez believes this one with Navarrete will live up to the hype the Berchelt clash did not.

“The fans want to see a fight like the ones between Morales and Barrera,” Valdez said. “Every time there is a fight between Mexicans, it’s a great battle, and this won’t be the exception. I always tell people that I grew up during the era of Morales and Barrera. They inspired me to be the fighter that I am today. So, to leave something similar in history would mean the world to me.”

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Barrera and Morales, who were bitter enemies filled with hatred toward each other for many years, have chilled in recent years and are friendly. They appeared together at the fight week news conference.

“I’m happy to have been invited for this tremendous fight,” Barrera said. “Every time there is a Mexican boxer in the ring, you will see a war. And on this occasion, Valdez and Navarrete know what’s going to happen in the ring. I think it will be the type of fight that all Mexicans know how to deliver.

“Fights between Mexicans will always be exciting. Here we have two Mexicans in the ring who want to be in one of the most historic fights between Mexican boxers. That’s what they are looking to do.”

Morales agreed with his longtime rival.

“This is a great opportunity for these two Mexican boxers to demonstrate that Mexican boxing is always very exciting,” Morales said. “I’ve had the opportunity to speak with both separately. Both have said that there will be a great war. So, I’ve come to see this great war.

“Mexicans fight because they have a big heart and for pride. The belts don’t matter. Nothing matters. The only thing that matters is determining who is the best fighter from Mexico.”

Barrera and Morales will present the winner of the fight with a commemorative jacket designed by Tijuana, Mexico-born fashion designer Kiko Baez.

But before that is the fight.

“We all know that this fight is raising a lot of expectations,” Navarrete said. “It would be totally fraudulent if Valdez and I didn't give 100 percent in this fight. We all know that everyone expects a war in the ring. We have all that it takes to make for a great fight.

“I have said that the fight with Valdez was necessary for my career because of everything it represents. The rivalry between Mexicans is something essential. It’s a good thing for the fight. But boxing fans have also put a lot of pressure on me, saying that my career was missing that cherry on top. They said that I needed an impressive and iconic fight where I exert much more of myself. The fight with Valdez is that kind of fight.

“Obviously, the fact that Barrera and Morales are here indicates that our promoter wants to tell us something. We have to do something at least similar to what they did. That is the goal. Everything is set so that we can deliver a great fight.”

Navarrete (37-1, 31 KOs), 28, and Valdez (31-1, 23 KOs), 32, were scheduled to fight for the vacant WBO title on Feb. 3, but Valdez withdrew due to a back/rib injury. Instead, Navarrete, who has also won titles at featherweight and junior featherweight, knocked out replacement Liam Wilson in the ninth round of a rousing battle to claim the 130-pound belt with Valdez watching at ringside knowing he would get the first crack.

But first Valdez had to win his return fight, which he did via lopsided unanimous decision over Adam Lopez in a rematch on May 20 as he shook of the rust of a 13-month layoff in the co-feature of the Devin Haney-Vasiliy Lomachenko card.

For Valdez, a 2008 and 2012 Mexican Olympian, the win over Lopez was his first fight since a decision loss to Shakur Stevenson in a junior lightweight unification bout. He wants to win another title but he also wants a memorable fight in front Morales and Barrera.

“This fight means the world to me,” Valdez said. “The loss to Shakur Stevenson sparked something different in me. It woke something up. It made me realize how much I missed boxing and how much I love the sport. The year away from boxing made me miss it so much. I also miss being a world champion. So, it also means the world to me to have another opportunity to become a world champion again.

“It’s an honor for Barrera and Morales to be here. These two don’t know how much they inspired me. They are warriors. I want to win. I want to be a world champion again. I want to show the fans a good fight. So, I am ready.”

Also on the main card:

• Junior welterweight Lindolfo Delgado (17-0, 13 KOs), 28, a 2016 Mexican Olympian, will fight countryman Jair Valtierra (16-2, 8 KOs), 21, in the 10-round co-feature.

• Heavyweight Richard Torrez Jr. (5-0, 5 KOs), 24, of Tulare, California, who was the 2020 U.S. Olympic super heavyweight silver medalist, will face fellow southpaw Willie Jake Jr. (11-3-2, 3 KOs), 40, of Indianapolis, in the six-round opener.

Erik Morales (left) and Emanuel Navarrete

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Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank

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