Denys Berinchyk points to Emanuel Navarrete, winner of the vacant WBO lightweight title
Denys Berinchyk scored the biggest win of his professional career by knocking out Emanuel Navarrete. Photo by German Villasenor
SAN DIEGO – Denys Berinchyk has fought hard as a fighter determined to win a world title belt.
Berinchyk defeated Emanuel Navarrete via split decision Saturday night in front of a pro-Navarrete crowd at Pechanga Arena. One judge scored it 116-112 for Navarrete, while two other judges scored it 116-112 and 115-113 for Berinchyk, who went up to 19-0, 9.
With the win, Berinchyk won the vacant WBO lightweight title.
Navarrete, holder of the WBO junior lightweight title and ranked No. 1 by The Ring at 130 pounds, was making his debut at lightweight, but struggled to find a rhythm throughout the fight.
Early in the fight, Navarrete connected with a jab or straight right, and was trying to land a right cross to Berinchyk’s head. In places, Berinchyk was switching from normal to southpaw and back to normal. This tactic would work at times, as Berinchyk landed a right hand to Navarrete’s head.
As the fight progressed, Navarrete began to make contact with more frequency. Both fighters let their hands go in the fourth round, prompting an exchange between the two.
Emanuel Navarrete vs. Denys Berinchyk. Photo by German Villasenor
Navarrete was able to connect, at times, with his signature right uppercut to Berinchyk’s head, but Navarrete looked sluggish and flat-footed, especially during the middle rounds and the second half of the fight.
After Navarrete landed a left combination to the head in the 10th round, Berinchyk was able to land a series of left hands to Navarrete’s head. Navarrete was the aggressor in the 11th round but didn’t land a significant punch to the head of Berinchyk, who continued to struggle in spots.
Both fighters had their moments during the final 30 seconds of the fight, connecting until the final bell rang to end the fight.
Berinchyk, 36, who lives in Kiev, Ukraine, had not fought since Aug. 26, defeating former world champion Anthony Yigit via split decision. Berinchyk also beat Yvan Mendy, Isa Chaniev and Jose Sanchez.
Navarrete, who lives in San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico, falls to 38-2, 31 KOs. He fought for a multiple decision against Robson Conceicao in his last fight on November 16.
Navarrete, 29, was trying to make history. If he had won the WBO belt, he would have won the world belt in four different weight divisions. Navarrete would join the ranks of Mexican-born world title holders to do so, including Canelo Alvarez, Ring Magazine’s current undefeated super middleweight champion, Jorge Arce, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez and Leo Santa Cruz.
There is no word if Navarrete will remain lightweight or drop down to 130 pounds.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has handled boxing in Southern California and internationally since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. They can be reached at [email protected]
