Emanuel Navarrete Looks To Enter Elite Territory Against Berinchyk

The fight against Conceicao in November was Navarrete’s toughest test, resulting in a majority draw. It wasn’t Navarrete’s best night, but a draw was the best thing that could have happened to him as he quickly realized he needs to do more in the future against next-level opponents.

Navarrete reflected on those fights and told FightsATW, “I thought we had three great fights. There were some things that we needed to pay attention to from the last fight, but it was a great fight as well. They all had different fighting styles, but they were all experiences that helped build me up and helped with my trajectory. I keep discovering new things about myself during each fight while also advancing my skills. Overall, I was satisfied with how all three fights went.”

After the Conceicao fight, the conversation quickly became about the weight and whether Navarrete needed to move up as he could potentially have trouble making the weight. Navarrete wanted to stay at 130 a little longer but admitted that the move up to lightweight came a little quicker than he anticipated. 

“Honestly, the move up [to lightweight] was fast as I haven’t finished my time at super featherweight,” said Navarrete. “Life has given me these opportunities [fighting for a lightweight title], and I did not want to turn them away. When I was going from 126 pounds to 130, I was given an opportunity, and it turned into three fights at super featherweight. Now, this fight at 135 is another opportunity, and I’ve felt great during sparring and my overall preparation for this fight.”

As Navarrete continued to move up in weight classes, there were slight adjustments he felt he needed to make, like bringing in a strength & conditioning coach. This will be the third fight using one, and he’s felt the power increase in his punches. While building up his power for the new weight class, Navarrete hasn’t ignored some of the mistakes made during those three fights last year. His team has focused on correcting those with him during this training camp, as they know Berinchyk will be tough.

His opponent, Berinchyk, is 36 but has a deep amateur pedigree that earned him a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics in London. Navarrete knows that this won’t be an easy fight, but the opponents he’s faced in the past with that same Olympic experience have helped him feel ready.

“It’s known that guys with Olympic pedigrees come with a ton of experience. They are fighters who can present various fighting styles, making for a complicated fight. Fighting guys like Oscar Valdez and Robson Conceicao gave me the experience of fighting Olympians, and in the end, they fight in a certain way, which is what we prepared for during this training camp.”

Navarrete will wait until after Saturday’s fight to decide whether he will stay at lightweight. After having an undisclosed surgical procedure in November/December, Navarrete is making his 2024 debut in front of his fans from Southern California and Mexico, who will drive to San Diego for the event. Navarrete’s message to those that are going to watch is simple.

“I want to thank all of the fans especially. Lately, I’ve been receiving more messages and interactions on social media. Those watching the fight live or on ESPN should expect a spectacular fight. I’ve prepared well, and hopefully Berinchyk has as well, so we can give the fans a great fight.”