Following previous delays in their matchup, Oscar Valdez and Emanuel Navarrete will finally meet in the boxing ring Saturday for the WBO junior lightweight title. Their anticipated showdown tops the main Navarrete vs. Valdez fight card (8 p.m. ET) from Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz. The fighters were scheduled to meet earlier this year for the vacant crown, but Valdez had to withdraw because of an injury. Navarrete went forward with a fight against replacement opponent Liam Wilson and survived an early knockdown to win another title in a third weight class. His first defense now comes against Valdez, who seeks his own third-division title.
Valdez is a -190 favorite (risk $190 to win $100), while Navarrete comes back at +160 in the latest Emanuel Navarrete vs. Oscar Valdez odds. The over/under for total rounds completed is 10.5, with the Over priced at -300 and the Under fetching a price of +220. Before making any Emanuel Navarrete vs. Oscar Valdez picks, make sure you see the boxing predictions and betting advice from SportsLine analyst Peter Kahn.
Kahn is a true boxing insider who has his finger on the pulse of what's going on inside and outside of the ring. He has managed numerous world champions and currently manages 20 fighters through his company, Fight Game Advisors. Kahn recently won the 2022 Boxing Writers Association of America Cus D'Amato Manager of the Year award and was named to the 2023 Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.
Kahn is uncanny when it comes to picking fights. He is an astounding 42-13 on his last 55 SportsLine boxing picks, returning nearly $4,000 to $100 bettors. Anyone who has followed him has already seen massive returns.
Now, with Emanuel Navarrete vs. Oscar Valdez in sight, Kahn has studied the matchup from every angle and released confident picks for the fight. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
Emanuel Navarrete vs. Oscar Valdez preview
In 2022, Valdez faced more personal and professional setbacks than in any other time in his life. Following the loss to Shakur Stevenson, he slipped while walking down some stairs and broke a couple of ribs. After taking the time to heal, he suffered broken ribs again in his first sparring session and was sidelined for several months. During this time, he suffered from depression and questioned his future in the sport.
Valdez recently told the media that his tune-up win over Adam Lopez in May showed that he was back on track with both his physical and mental health, even though the performance was far from a career highlight. The former two-division champion says he's now sure he is prepared to compete for another world title.
"It was difficult to go through, but it was also an eye-opener for me. I realized how much I missed this sport and that I want to be a champion again and what I needed to do to get myself back to where I needed to be," Valdez said.
Perhaps the one drawback that has plagued Navarrete's career thus far is the lack of a truly elite opponent on his resume, despite winning world titles in three different weight classes before the age of 30. It didn't help that he struggled with a relatively obscure opponent in his last fight, leading some critics to wonder whether he has what it takes to beat world-class opponents.
Navarrete doesn't necessarily disagree with this criticism. He told the media this week his primary motivation for Saturday's fight is to get a signature win against a household name like Valdez that will increase his recognition and respect levels within the sport.
"Winning this fight would boost my career significantly," he said. "Personally, I would feel complete. What has been missing in my career is precisely a victory against someone like Valdez. It would fill me with pride to be part of such an iconic fight between Mexicans and come out victorious." See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Emanuel Navarrete vs. Oscar Valdez picks
Kahn likes the Over 10.5 rounds. He's also locked in two other best bets, including a strong money-line pick and a plus-mony method-of-victory prop. You can only see those selections at SportsLine.
Who wins Emanuel Navarrete vs. Oscar Valdez, and which prop is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Peter Kahn's best bets for Saturday, all from the boxing specialist who has netted his followers a profit of nearly $4,000, and find out.
