Last December, Emanuel Navarrete filed a late candidate for Upset of the Year in boxing, after de-throning Issac Dogboe in a unanimous decision to claim the WBO junior featherweight title. This weekend, the pair enter the 13th round, as ‘Royal Storm’ look to avenge the only loss of his professional career against the Mexican champion.
The Convention Center, Arizona will host this WBO junior featherweight title fight, with the bookies unable to separate Navarrete and Dogboe following a gripping 36 minutes in their first meeting. Dogboe was heavy favourite coming into the first fight, however, this time around it’s a real “pick’ em” with a toss of the coin a preferred method of prediction for some.
Dogboe (20-1) enjoyed a breakout 2018 where he fought four times against an array of talent. A win over Jessie Magdaleno by 11th round TKO was enough to earn him the WBO junior featherweight strap, with a successful defence against Hidenori Otake of Japan following. The Ghanaian-Brit then ran into the brick wall that was Navarrete; a 24-year-old with a record of 26-1, having only tasted defeat over four rounds in his sixth fight, to an opponent who failed to weigh in.
In the opening fight, the Mexican displayed physical characteristics that Dogboe struggled to negate. Pressure from the champion was countered with bludgeoning left hooks to the body, and combinations on the inside that ‘Royal Storm’ had little answer for. From his taller vantage point, Navarrete was able to effectively deploy his jab, backing up the champion with straight right hands, and some powerful uppercuts.
Swelling to Dogboe’s right eye caused the champion severe problems going into the latter stages of the fight, with the Mexican turning on the heat in the championship rounds, leaving Dogboe swinging and missing wildly.
So is it repeat or revenge in the rematch? Sometimes, in boxing, fighters have another’s number. This may well be the case with Navarrete and Dogboe. The damage to the eye of Dogboe may have let the fight slip away last December, but the size and reach of the Mexican was evident from the opening bell. Dogboe failed to get his jab away, or inflict any constant pressure Navarrete in the 12-round battle. Unless ‘Royal Storm’ can completely change up his tactics for this rematch, it’s hard to see it going a different way.
With such a 50/50 contest, backing the draw with a small stake is always worthwhile.
Emanuel Navarrete to win @ 5/6 (BetVictor)
Navarrete vs. Dogboe draw @ 18/1 (BetVictor)
