'Answered prayer': Suarez gets crack at WBO champ Navarette
MANILA, Philippines — Former national amateur boxing standout Charly Suarez, who has had a late start to his pro career and is now 36 years old, is finally getting a long-awaited shot at a world championship.
The former Rio de Janeiro Olympian turned pro just in 2019, when he was already 30 years old — an age when most boxers are considered to be entering the twilight of their careers.
Six years and a few pro fights later, Suarez has a chance to add “world champion” to his resume as he is booked to challenge World Boxing Organization super featherweight titlist Emmanuel Navarrete at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California on May 10 (May 11 Manila time).
It will be Suarez’s 19th pro fight — the Filipino is 18-0, with 10 knockouts — and hands down the toughest of Suarez’s relatively young pro career.
“Answered prayer,” Suarez told mediamen at a mini presser held Monday at the Quezon City mansion of former Ilocos Sur Governor and sports patron Chavit Singson, who now manages Suarez’s boxing career.
“Many are saying it’s kind of impossible (winning a world title) because of my age, but I believe if something is meant for you, then indeed it is and no one can get in your way. So when Gov. (Singson) called me on the phone to offer me the fight — I was at church that time — I almost cried,” he said in Filipino.
It was Singson himself who struck a deal with Top Rank Inc. — which promotes both Suarez and Navarrete — that led to the Filipino’s crack at the dangerous Mexican.
“This is another chance for us to have a world champion, huwag lang madadaya (as long as we don’t get cheated),” said Singson, pointing out that Suarez keeps getting sidelined for the world title before.
Suarez and Singson were accompanied in the presser by the former’s head trainer Delfin Boholst, who said they already have a game plan against Navarrete and lined up sparring partners who have a similar physique and style as the 130-pound champion.
Suarez faces an uphill battle against the 30-year-old Navarrete (39-2-1, with 32 KOs), a three-division world champion who has also held titles at super bantamweight and featherweight.
Known as a pressure fighter with extreme durability, Navarrete counts Filipinos Glenn Porras, Jhun Gemino, Juan Miguel Elorde and Jeo Santisima among his victims.
Now, Suarez, known for his moniker “King’s Warrior”, has a chance to avenge his countrymen — and win a coveted championship belt in the process.
“There’s no pressure on my part. I prayed hard for this chance and now I have it. It means it was meant for me. I just have to do my best,” he said.
- Latest
