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Emanuel Navarrete’s quick turnaround didn’t give him any problems tonight, as the 24-year-old Mexican super bantamweight star got Juan Miguel Elorde out in the fourth round to retain his WBO belt.
Navarrete (29-1, 25 KO) had just fought on Aug. 17, when he smashed overmatched Francisco De Vaca inside of three. The decision was made thanks to the easy work to bring Navarrete back as part of the package card on Sept. 14, giving Top Rank a Mexican fighter to feature on Mexican Independence weekend beneath the Fury-Wallin fight.
Elorde (28-2, 15 KO) is 32 and pretty unproven, but he’s got a famous last name so he was signed up for this fight and got his world title shot. He proved to be pretty well out of his depth. After a first round where Navarrete felt things out, the titleholder started doing damage. He dropped Elorde late in the third, hurting him pretty badly, and Elorde’s face was showing the signs of the punishment already.
In the fourth, Elorde took a few more shots and the referee stepped in, which was fine. Navarrete was just going to punish him from that point.
We’ll see what’s next for Navarrete, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him back quickly again, or to see him take the rest of 2019 off. He’s fought three times this year and I’d say he’s earned a break if he wants one.