Navarrete drops Villa twice en route to a unanimous victory to capture the WBO featherweight title
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 10 Oct 2020
Emanuel Navarrete's unorthodox style, swarming offense, reach advantage and pop in his punches were too much for the well schooled Ruben Villa who kissed the canvas two times en route to a 12-round unanimous decision victory by the prolific Mexican fighter and captured his second division world title at the MGM Grand Bubble in Las Vegas Friday night (Saturday in Manila). Scores were 114-112 twice and 115-111 for Navarrete.
Navarrete who snatched the WBO superbantam title from Ghana's Isaac Dogboe in 2018 in sensational fashion and defended it five times before moving up in weight, wasted no time in dropping the Salinas, California native Villa in the first round with a left uppercut. Navarrete followed it up with another knockdown in the 4th round with another left to the jaw of Villa that practically sealed the fight in his favor.
Navarrete drops Villa in the first round.
It appeared it will be a matter of time before Navarrete will stop Villa but the WBO International featherweight champion, showing his tenacity and superior boxing skills, outboxed Navarrete in the latter rounds to make the scorecard closer. Villa's lack of power in his punches however, doomed his comeback as he didn't have the pop to stop Navarrete.
Navarrete, the newly minted WBO featherweight world champion, now improves his record to 32 wins, 1 loss, 27 KOs while Villa suffered his first defeat and dropped to 18 wins, 1 loss with 5 stoppages.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Donaire back in Cebu
By Joaquin Henson, Fri, 23 Jan 2026MURATALLA VS. CRUZ IN LAS VEGAS FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Fri, 23 Jan 2026Four Pinoys in line for title shots
By Joaquin Henson, Fri, 23 Jan 2026After the meeting in Mexico City, the WBC is ready for 2026
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Fri, 23 Jan 2026Former world title challenger Jerry Belmontes Returns to ring at home after nearly a decade in Retirement on January 31 in Texas
Fri, 23 Jan 2026SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT RONNY ALVAREZ TRAINING CAMP NOTES
Thu, 22 Jan 2026STRICKLAND STUNS REYES AS SOUQUET SEALS REDEMPTION | WNT LEGENDS
Thu, 22 Jan 2026Knicks defeats Nets 120-66 to post largest margin of victory in franchise history
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 22 Jan 2026Mauricio Sulaiman: "We simply urge Zuffa Boxing to respect and protect boxing and the boxer"
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 22 Jan 2026January 31: Xander Zayas-Abass Baraou Junior Middleweight Title Unification Showdown to Stream LIVE on Top Rank Classics FAST Channel in the United States
Thu, 22 Jan 2026Mike Tyson to Launch “Mike Tyson Invitational,” a Three-Day Amateur Boxing Showcase Aimed at Elevating the Future of American Boxing
Thu, 22 Jan 2026KAIPO GALLEGOS TRAINING CAMP NOTES
Thu, 22 Jan 2026REYES AND BUSTAMANTE DELIVER HOME-SOIL MASTERCLASS | WNT LEGENDS
Wed, 21 Jan 2026Reigning World 10-ball Champion Filipino cue master Jonas Magpantay to see action in Indonesia pool tourney
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 21 Jan 2026OLYMPIC BOXING 7: 1936 OLYMPICS AT BERLIN, GERMANY
By Maloney L. Samaco, Wed, 21 Jan 2026