Despite Top Rank promoting both fighters, the WBO’s mandated featherweight title fight between Emanuel Navarrete and Jessie Magdaleno went to a purse bid yesterday. Bob Arum and co. submitted the winning (and only) bid of $250,000, and despite previously aiming for September 19th/26th, now target October 17th or 24th.
Whoever wins will claim the title Shakur Stevenson left behind in his move to 130 pounds. Both men are former champions at 122 pounds; Navarrete (31-1, 27 KO) scored five knockouts in five defenses after upsetting Isaac Dogboe in 2018, while Magdaleno upended Nonito Donaire in 2016 before stopping Adelison Dos Santos and falling to the aforementioned Dogboe in a terrific scrap.
Besides his notable advantages in height and reach, Navarrete has the momentum; though admittedly untested since the Dogboe rematch, he smashed his unworthy foes as expected, while Magdaleno looked flat against the ostensibly outmatched Yenifel Vicente. Still, Magdaleno is a significant step up from the likes of Jeo Santisima and Uriel Lopez, so we’ll see what happens.