Filipino boxer Charly Suarez is finally getting the world title shot he’s long waited for — and he’s not taking it for granted.
Suarez will challenge Mexico’s Emanuel Navarrete for the WBO super featherweight title this weekend at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California. For the 36-year-old, it’s the culmination of a two-year pursuit since bursting into title contention with a 12th-round stoppage of Paul Fleming in March 2023.
“This fight is a big answered prayer for me because we trained for this fight, and this is my shot. I’ve been looking for this fight since two years ago,” Suarez told BoxingScene.
What followed the Fleming win wasn’t the title bout Suarez expected. Instead, he endured tune-ups, delays, and a canceled title eliminator — setbacks that tested his patience but never his resolve.
“The chance that they gave me—maybe tomorrow there is no chance for me. That’s why once the opportunity came to me, I grabbed it and worked hard,” he said.
“Because maybe tomorrow I won’t have an opportunity like this. So this is my time.”
Though Suarez has only 18 professional fights under his belt, he brings a wealth of experience from the amateur ranks, including a gold medal at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games and a silver from the 2014 Asian Games. He plans to lean on that background to counter Navarrete’s unorthodox style.
“Me and my team, we studied for his movement, the movement of Navarrete,” Suarez said.
“No more excuses in the ring.”
Now just days away from the biggest fight of his career, Suarez is determined to seize what he sees as a once-in-a-lifetime shot at boxing glory.
The post Suarez calls Navarrete bout a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ first appeared on Fastbreak.
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