Shakur Stevenson vs Edwin De Los Santos and Emanuel Navarrete vs Robson Conceicao official for November 16th

Top Rank’s previously revealed November 16th title doubleheader on ESPN, which sees Shakur Stevenson take on Edwin De Los Santos for the vacant WBC lightweight belt and Emanuel Navarette defend his WBO super featherweight title against Robson Conceicao, is officially set to hit T-Mobile Arena.

Stevenson (20-0, 10 KO) saw a number of contenders turn him down, most infamously Frank Martin, before De Los Santos (16-1, 14 KO) answered the call. It’s not the fight we wanted, but De Los Santos is at least young, fast, powerful, and game enough to fight someone many seasoned vets deemed not worth the hassle.

Stevenson said, “Edwin De Los Santos is a good fighter and he’s going to come to fight. I give him credit for actually taking this fight when so many other so-called ‘fighters’ ran from it. I’m the biggest boogeyman in boxing, and on November 16, the world will see why when I put on another great performance for the fans. Come out to T-Mobile Arena or tune in to ESPN and watch me become a three-division world champion.”

De Los Santos said, “I want to thank Top Rank, the WBC, ESPN and my promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, for this opportunity to put on a great fight and win my first world championship. I am a proud Dominican warrior who fights for my people! Shakira, I’m going to kick your ass.”

Navarrete (38-1, 30 KO) hits the ring just three months after his spectacular war with Oscar Valdez, his quickest turnaround since February 2020. Former gold medalist Conceicao (17-2, 8 KO) fell short against Valdez and Stevenson, the latter far more convincingly than the former, but he’s a solid operator and a step up from the scrubs “Vaquero” mulched during his famous five-fights-in-nine-months run.

Navarrete said, “I am very happy to be able to defend my title again in 2023. My motivation is to continue achieving great victories for Mexican boxing and to bring glory to this beautiful nation. Conceição is a complicated opponent, but I want to be the best 130-pounder in the world, and for that I must face the best. I have never shied away from any rival. Whoever they put in front of me, ‘Vaquero’ Navarrete will always be ready to battle.”

“This is great opportunity in front of a great champion. I needed three Olympics Games to finally capture gold and become Olympic champ, and it looks like history is repeating itself. On November 16, I will fight to the end, and I will not miss this opportunity to become a world champion and once again bring gold to Brazil.”

The undercard features a familiar suite of Top Rank’s usual suspects, though a few are in surprisingly tough. Brian Norman Jr. (24-0, 19 KO) vs Quinton Randall (13-0-1, 3 KO) leads the way at 147, Floyd Diaz (9-0, 3 KO) fights Max Ornelas (15-1-1, 5 KO) at 122, and perhaps the most interesting fight pits Troy Isley (15-0, 4 KO) against Vladimir Hernandez (14-5, 6 KO).

Abdullah Mason (10-0, 8 KO) and Andres Cortes (20-0, 11 KO) also see action, as does 2016 Olympian Ablaikhan Zhussupov (4-0, 3 KO).