Ukraine’s Berinchyk’s Half-Decade Wait for WBO Lightweight Title Shot Nears End
As the reigning super featherweight champion, Emanuel Navarrete makes his debut at 135 pounds, colliding with the undefeated Ukrainian, Denys Berinchyk, for the vacant WBO lightweight title on May 18th at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California. This long-awaited matchup comes after Berinchyk, 18-0 (9 KOs), has diligently defended the WBO international title nine times in a row, as his promoter, Alexander Krassyuk, has been advocating for his mandatory position at the WBO convention for the past five years.
Navarrete is coming off a majority-decision draw with Robson Conceicao last November, while Berinchyk secured a unanimous decision victory over Anthony Yigit in Wroclaw, Poland, last August. Krassyuk believes this will be a tough challenge for Berinchyk, as Navarrete, a Mexican fighter, has “no reverse gear” and is known for his relentless style. However, the Ukrainian promoter is confident that his fighter has truly earned this opportunity and is prepared to showcase his skills on the big stage.
“This will be a tough challenge for Berinchyk, as Navarrete, a Mexican fighter, has ‘no reverse gear’ and is known for his relentless style.”
- Alexander Krassyuk, Berinchyk’s promoter
Interestingly, the Berinchyk-Navarrete title fight will take place on the same date as the highly anticipated undisputed heavyweight showdown between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While Krassyuk will not be able to attend both events, he is excited for this historic night in Ukrainian boxing as two of their own compete for world titles on the same day.
The lightweight title bout between Berinchyk and Navarrete is set to headline the Top Rank promotion, which will be broadcasted live on ESPN+. Boxing enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating this clash of styles, as the former Olympic silver medalist Berinchyk looks to capitalize on his long-awaited opportunity and secure the WBO lightweight crown.
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