San Diego Showdown: Ukraine’s Berinchyk Snatches Lightweight Title from Mexico’s Navarrete
May 6th, 2023 – In a gritty display of Ukraine’s fighting spirit, lightweight Denys Berinchyk secured a hard-fought split decision victory over Mexico’s three-division champion Emanuel Navarrete at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego.
Berinchyk, now boasting a perfect 19-0 record with 9 knockouts, seized the vacant WBO lightweight title in a bout that saw Navarrete appear sluggish and uninspired. The Mexican fighter, who had moved up from the junior featherweight division, struggled to assert his signature power shots against the more active and aggressive Berinchyk.
“It was something new for me,” Navarrete admitted after the fight. “Denys is a great fighter. He made me struggle a lot. I know that I need to improve, and I’m happy because I tried things out at 135 pounds. I will be strong in this division.”
The judges’ scores reflected the decisive nature of the bout, with tallies of 115-113, 116-112, and 116-112, all in favor of the Ukrainian. Navarrete’s unimpressive performance, which saw him fail to find his rhythm until the later rounds, drew criticism from boxing enthusiasts on social media.
Berinchyk’s relentless pressure and activity proved too much for the bloated Navarrete, who seemed to lack the necessary pop in his punches to truly trouble the Ukrainian. As the bout progressed, the writing was on the wall, with Berinchyk’s consistent output and cleaner landing earning him the deserved nod from the judges.
This victory adds to the growing momentum of Ukrainian boxing talent, with heavyweight superstar Oleksandr Usyk also claiming a title triumph in recent weeks. The lightweight division now boasts a strengthened Ukrainian presence, with Berinchyk joining the ranks of fellow titleholders Vasiliy Lomachenko and Shakur Stevenson.
When asked about his first title defense, the newly crowned champion Berinchyk expressed openness to challenges from the likes of Stevenson or Keyshawn Davis, showcasing his willingness to take on the division’s elite.
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