Emanuel Navarrete vs. Eduardo Baez: date, time, how to watch, background

Oleksandr Usyk will defend his heavyweight titles against Anthony Joshua on Saturday in a rematch of Usyk’s unanimous decision victory last September.

EMANUEL NAVARRETE (35-1, 29 KOS) VS. EDUARDO BAEZ (21-2-2, 7 KOS)

• Date: Saturday, Aug. 20

• Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)

• Where: Pechanga Arena, San Diego

• TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+

• Division: Featherweights (126 pounds)

• Rounds: 12

• At stake: Navarrete’s WBO title

• Pound-for-pound ranking: None

• Odds: Navarrete 10-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)

• Also on the card: Giovani Santillan vs. Julio Luna Avila, welterweights; Nico Ali Walsh vs. Reyes Sanchez, middleweights

• Prediction: Navarrete KO 10

• Background: Navarrete will be making the third defense of the 126-pound title he won by outpointing Ruben Villa in October 2020. The indefatigable volume puncher from Mexico, a former 122-pound champ, followed the victory over Villa with a 12^th-round knockout of Christopher Diaz the following April and a wide decision over Joet Gonzalez last October. The defense on Saturday will be the 27-year-old’s fourth consecutive fight in the United States. His only loss came in a four-rounder against journeyman Daniel Argueta in 2012, the year he turned pro. Baez, also a 27-year-old from Mexico, rebounded from a majority decision setback against Ra’eese Aleem by defeating Enrique Vivas by a majority decision in his most recent fight this past March. Baez is a good, durable fighter with limited punching power.

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Story originally appeared on Boxing Junkie