Going into the bout, the WBO super featherweight champion faced an uphill battle trying to make the 130-pound super featherweight limit. However, both Navarrete and Suarez eventually made the limit on the nose(130 lbs). The undefeated Filipino Olympian entered the ring with an 18-0 record, as opposed to the three-division champion’s then 39-2. While Navarrete was coming off a sixth-round knockout victory over Oscar Valdez last year, Saurez, with his amateur experience, was still a dangerous fighter despite being the obvious underdog. Right from the first round, the Mexican had started doing what he does best—throwing powerful punches. He carried this pace well into the second round, then slowed down for a while, but again took the flurry in the last 30 seconds of the third round.

The next two rounds only got worse for the 36-year-old Filipino, as Navarrete started throwing robust body punches. At this point, it looked like the champion would secure a mid or late-round stoppage, but who knew what would come next? Halfway into the match, during the sixth round, the WBO champion suffered a nasty cut above his left eyebrow due to an accidental headbutt. The fight continued despite blood gushing into Emanuel Navarrete’s face. His corner in the seventh round tried to stop the bleeding, but to no avail. In the seventh round, Saurez outfought Navarette, partly thanks to the cut. As soon as the eighth round began, referee Edward Collantes asked the ring physician to give the cut a check, after which the referee called off the bout.

At the time, judges’ scorecards read 78-75, 77-76, and 77-76, all in favor of Navarrete, and he improved his record to 40-2, thereby defending his title. However, the decision was a bit controversial while the fight was ongoing since many, including the commentators, felt the cut happened as a result of a punch and not a headbutt. If that had been the case, Suarez would have won by TKO. But, because video review supervisor, Jack Reiss, deemed the cause of the cut to be inconclusive, the referee’s decision was declared final. Currently, the California State Athletic Commission is reviewing the incident, and further updates are awaited. As a result, there is a chance that the result could be overturned later. But what about the other bouts?

Raymond Muratalla vs. Abdullaev result and more

In another 12-round bout in the lightweight division, Raymond Muratalla fought and defeated Zaur Abdullaev by unanimous decision, claiming the vacant interim IBF belt and becoming a mandatory challenger for full championship status. Similar to Navarette’s bout, in this one, the undefeated 23-0 took the lead by starting with a strong jab. Up until the fourth round, he overpowered the 31-year-old Russian boxer, who only showed some life in the next three rounds.

Late into the fight, the Dydymkin native again started getting comfortable and gave away all subsequent rounds. Ultimately, judges’ scorecards read 119-109, 119-109, 118-110, in favour of the 28-year-old. If you think that was all the fun that happened last night, there’s more. In a 10-round super featherweight bout, Andres Cortes gained a similar unanimous decision victory over Salvador Jimenez in their super featherweight bout. The scores stood at 100-90, 100-90, 99-91 in favour of the North Las Vegas native.

As part of the main event, two other bouts in boxing’s lighter divisions kept the crowd in San Diego engaged. In another 10-round welterweight bout, Giovani Santillan fought Angel Beltran and defeated him via unanimous decision, while Perla Bazaldua did the same over Mona Ward in the women’s super flyweight bout.

So, that was all about yesterday’s main card bouts. And, for the Navarrete-Suarez match, while California is looking into the fight, the winner has claimed that it was a headbutt and not a punch that made him bleed. In the post-fight interview with FightHub TV, Emanuel Navarrete stated, “I felt that it was a headbutt. I saw the review — it seems like a punch, but he pretty much exploded two layers of skin with the headbutt. And so I didn’t want it to end. I was fine to continue going. I felt like the best rounds were still to come, but the doctor decided to end the fight.“

Regardless, it’s for the California State Athletic Commission to decide what is next for the results from yesterday. But as of now, Suarez is interested in a rematch, while Navarrete is considering either staying at 130 lbs or making a move up to 135 lbs, while also being happy with a rematch if that’s what his promotion, Top Rank, wants. Do you think it was a headbutt?