World champion Emanuel Navarrete`s victory over Charly Suarez is expected to be officially changed to a no-contest result. This decision follows a rare instance of video replay being used to review the circumstances of the fight`s stoppage.
Defending his WBO super-featherweight title in San Diego, the Mexican fighter Emanuel Navarrete suffered a cut above his left eyebrow during the sixth round.
By the eighth round, the ringside physician, Dr. Robert Ruelaz, determined that the bout needed to be stopped because Navarrete`s vision was impaired by the cut.
Under standard boxing rules, if a fight is stopped due to a cut caused by a legal punch, the result is recorded as a Technical Knockout (TKO).
However, if a cut is judged to have been caused by an accidental headbutt, the fight`s outcome is then decided based on the judges` scorecards at the moment of the stoppage.
In this specific case, Navarrete was ahead on the scorecards when the fight was halted. Consequently, he was initially awarded a technical decision victory, allowing him to retain his 130lb title.
Video replay was examined on the night of the fight, and the official overseeing the replay, Jack Reiss, stated at the time that there was no definitive evidence to conclude that a punch caused the cut.
Footage from the fight showed a left hook landing on Navarrete, followed almost immediately by the two fighters coming together, which made the precise cause of the cut unclear upon initial review.
Nevertheless, according to a report by BoxingScene, a subsequent review conducted by the California State Athletic Commission days after the bout has led them to the decision to overturn the original result.
This development marks a significant and uncommon occurrence where a fight`s outcome is altered based on video replay analysis performed in the days following the event.
Had it been determined on the night that the cut was caused by a punch, Suarez would have been crowned the new champion.
However, if Navarrete`s win is indeed overturned to a no-contest, he will maintain possession of his title. A rematch between the two fighters is widely anticipated as a result.
Navarrete commented after the fight, stating, “I felt it was a headbutt. I saw the review. It seems like a punch, but it exploded two layers of skin.”
He added that he didn`t want the fight to end and felt capable of continuing, believing that the later rounds would have been favorable for him, but the doctor made the decision to stop it.
Navarrete also acknowledged Suarez, saying, “He would be a great opponent. He is a great opponent. So a rematch would be good.”
Suarez also shared his perspective, stating, “I thought I had a chance to win the fight. I had five more rounds to try to win.”
Suarez and Navarrete could now rematch.
