Following a rough patch that saw him suffer two career losses, just when things seemed to be going downhill, Oscar Valdez made a remarkable comeback this year. It helped him reclaim a pole position in the super featherweight landscape. With Dennis Berinchyk pulling the brakes in the lightweight division, Emanuel Navarrete wasn’t having the best of time either. Thankfully, he retained the 130-pound WBO belt.

So a fight with Valdez, now an interim champion, became inevitable. Their previous encounter on August 12 last year ended in a unanimous defeat for Valdez. So he may want to set the record straight, even the score. Things started falling in line when WBO ordered both to go for a title defense. Navarrete and Valdez are now all set for another thriller set to take place on December 7 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Besides the headliner, the Top Rank card features another rematch, a featherweight clash between Rafael Espinoza and Robeisy Ramirez. Let’s explore how Navarrete and Valdez stand toe-to-toe ahead of their second bout.

Emanuel Navarrete vs. Oscar Valdez: Head-to-Head Clash, Key Figures to Watch

When it comes to height and reach, Emanuel Navarrete, who will turn 30 on January 17, seems to enjoy a visible edge over Oscar Valdez, who will be 34 years old on December 22. While Navarrete stands five feet and seven inches, or 170 centimeters tall, Valdez registers a height of five feet and five and a half inches, or 166 centimeters. Likewise, a hand reach of 72 inches or 183 centimeters might lend ‘Vaquero’ a visible advantage over Nogales-born Valdez, whose hands extend 66 inches or 168 centimeters.

There’s still over a week to go before their final weigh-in. Nevertheless, for reference, while Emanuel Navarrete weighed around 135 pounds during the Berinchyk fight, Oscar Valdez tipped the scales at 129.7 pounds ahead of the match with Liam Wilson.

Both ‘Vaquero’ and Valdez bring a wealth of experience. Having won nearly 82% of his 38 wins by knockouts, Emanuel Navarrete has thus far suffered only two losses. One fight against Robson Conceicao ended in a draw. Valdez began his professional journey with Navarrete in the same year, 2012. In a career spanning over a decade, he has participated in 34 fights. He emerged victorious in 32 bouts, out of which 75% were secured through early stoppages. Out of his two losses, the first came at the hands of Shakur Stevenson.

Emanuel Navarrete vs. Oscar Valdez: Fight Prediction, Who Will Come Out on the Top

Though Navarrete struggled in the last two fights, he still seems to enjoy the bookmakers’ trust when it comes to winning the match on December 7. As of now, ‘Bet365’ favors him as a -280 favorite against Valdez, who will enter the fight as a +215 underdog.

But will it be that easy for Navarrete? The split-decision loss against Berinchyk followed a draw against Conceicao. Against the Ukrainian fighter, many found Emanuel Navarrete fighting listlessly. Perhaps jitters a new weight class. His punches were observed to have floundered up in mid-air. Even he admitted that he had to improve his game.

Oscar Valdez, on the other hand, will join after an emphatic win. His solid performance, which saw him knock out Liam Wilson in the seventh round, quelled several doubts. After the loss to Navarrete, many felt that he was gradually drifting towards the end of his career.

So Emanuel Navarrete will meet a highly motivated and hungry Oscar Valdez, who would want to close the year with his career back on track. However, can a performance in one fight be enough to conclude the outcome of an upcoming fight?

The Style Break-Up

For one, Emanuel Navarrete could be expected to make full use of his height and reach. Especially, he might leverage the latter attribute to throw a flurry of punches. The fight against Denys Berinchyk is one good instance. His ability to throw punches from different angles puts him ahead of many peers.

Not to forget, there’s his trademark left uppercut. Making full use of his reach, Emanuel Navarrete lets loose a feint with his right. Simultaneously, he will dip to the left to throw that deadly uppercut. Check out what happened to Puerto Rican Christopher Diaz back in the 2021 title defense.

So how is Oscar Valdez going to cope against an unpredictable fighter like Emanuel Navarrete? Under Eddy Reynoso, Valdez had turned his defense into one of the most potent weapons. Navarrete can barely afford to miss the Nogales-born fighter’s left hook. He makes up for his lack of size by fighting on the inside. Equipped with moderate power, he can be expected to pull Navarrete in pockets and throw short and crisp punches at the head and body.

One thing is true: both Navarrete and Valdez are avid practitioners of techniques that ride on the back of power, which could change the tide of the match. So fans rest assured there won’t be a dull moment in the fight. They can expect yet another thriller from an all-Mexican clash that will unfold in ‘The Valentine State’.

Between Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez, who is your pick for the win on December 7?