What was expected to be a very close fight ended with Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete dismantling Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez on Saturday night in Glendale, Arizona.
Navarrete (40-2-1, 33 KOs) dominated Nunez and unified the WBO and IBF junior lightweight titles with an 11th-round TKO victory. Referee Benjamin Rodriguez stopped the fight following advice from the ringside doctor due to Nunez’s right eye being swollen shut.
After controlling the early rounds of the fight, Navarrete, ESPN’s No. 1-ranked junior lightweight, began the demolition work in the seventh round. He was faster and punished Nunez, ranked at No. 6, at will to the body and head while Nunez, in desperation, searched for a miracle punch.
By the ninth round, Nunez’s right eye was completely closed, and Navarrete was fully in charge of the fight at mid-range, long distance and even up close.
Navarrete, who is friends with Nunez, said after the fight that he never thought about slowing down. He landed 182 of 381 power punches for the fight (48%).
“It’s difficult to see your opponent hurting in there, but it’s also really difficult to not continue and go on to win the fight,” Navarrete said during his post-fight interview. “You never know what might happen in those last rounds. He could catch you with a shot and it could be over. So, I needed to continue doing my work in there.”
Although Nunez and his corner wanted to continue, the doctor decided to stop the bout.
“I would have liked to finish, but I respect the decision to protect my health,” Nunez said. “I considered [Navarrete] the toughest fighter at 130 pounds. I’m a fan of his. I follow his career and admire him.”
Navarrete, who fought only once in 2025 — a no-contest against Charly Suarez in May — looked sharper, faster, and much stronger.
The other two champions in the division, O’Shaquie Foster (WBC) and Lamont Roach (WBA), are options for Navarrete, but the new unified champion said he wanted to celebrate Saturday’s win and rest before deciding on his next fight.
“It’s very premature to think about that right now,” Navarrete said. “I just want to have some rest, take some time away and just enjoy [the victory]. I think in the coming days, when the calm sets in and I’ve had time to rest, I’ll decide what’s next. But right now, that’s not on my mind.”