“I’m a Mexican Warrior”: Hospitalized for Hand Surgery, Confident Emanuel Navarrete Remains Unfazed Yet Makes a Smart Decision

In a WBO junior lightweight title defense on November 16 at the T-Mobile Arena, Emanuel Navarrete settled his score against Robson Conceicao via a majority decision draw. What spectators were unaware of was the injury on his left hand. Despite the intense pain, he managed to push through and continue fighting until the very end. 

However, the injury significantly limited his mobility and affected his overall performance in the battle. It was the result of a previous injury that became more acute during his penultimate fight against Óscar Valdez and eventually prevented him from giving his all during the November fight at Las Vegas. Fortunately, the boxer has rectified the issue now.

Emanuel Navarette gets his painful hand injury fixed

On Friday, Navarette underwent minor surgery on his left hand, a result of an old injury exacerbated in his recent fight against Conceicao where he managed to retain his belt. Turns out the injury was hindering him from performing at his best. The pain was unbearable according to the boxer. After consulting with his team and doctor, he decided to take immediate action and underwent a “minor” surgery. It was a smart move on his part, as his next opponent might not have allowed him to scrape by with a majority decision.

Navarrete, in his latest post, made from his hospital bed, stated that he will be keeping his fans updated on his recovery. He added that they can expect him to be ready for new challenges by as early as the first quarter of 2024. In the post, he wrote, “I am a Mexican warrior that will never withdraw any challenge or commitment, but out of respect to you and my career, I will never again give any advantage.” He asked his fans to be rest assured that the “Cowboy” will make a spectacular return to the ring that too at full strength.

What caused the injury?

Despite an inflamed knuckle after a twelve-round battle against fellow Mexican Oscar Valdez, Navarrete won via a unanimous decision. “I caught him on top of the head and it caused a bit of inflammation,” said Navarrete. The minor scare in the latter part of the fight prompted Navarrete to rely more on his left hand to combat the discomfort. He ultimately emerged victorious in the all-Mexico clash at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Assuring fans, Navarrete had clarified that his hand was not broken, acknowledging a brief swelling. However, he was confident he could pull through.

Read More: With a Month Left to Face Edwin De Los Santos, Shakur Stevenson Hints at Potential Fight Against “Awkward” Emanuel Navarrete in Near Future

Navarette showed unbreakable grit and perseverance when it came to taking his boxing career seriously. However, he might have been a little negligent towards his injury, dismissing it initially when it started causing a problem. Fortunately, now he is ready to come back in full force for his yet-to-be-announced fight.

Who would you want to see Navarrete battle next? Tell us in the comments section below.

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