Looks like Emanuel Navarrete will make another defense of his world title belt this fall.

Navarrete will defend his WBO world junior lightweight title against Robson Conceicao on Thursday, November 16, it was announced on the Top Rank on ESPN telecast Friday night. ESPN’s Salvador Rodriguez was the first to report the news earlier that day.

The 12-round bout will precede a lightweight clash between Shakur Stevenson and Edwin De Los Santos, with the vacant WBC world lightweight title in play. Both fights will take place at a yet-to-be-determined venue in Las Vegas and will air live on an ESPN platform.

The card will take place at the outset of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which runs from November 16-18.

Navarrete and Conceicao are both promoted by Top Rank and are ranked in the top 10 by The Ring at 130 pounds. Navarrete and Conceicao are ranked No. 1 and 7, respectively.

Conceicao was scheduled to face unbeaten Humberto Galindo Friday in preliminary action on Top Rank’s card in Corpus Christi, Texas, but was pulled from the fight against Polanco because a deal with Navarrete was agreed to.

Navarrete (38-1, 31 knockouts), who resides in San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico, last fought on August 12 in Glendale, Arizona, Navarrete defeating Oscar Valdez, also a former world titleholder, by unanimous decision. Navarrete won the vacant WBO world title belt in his previous fight on February 3, which also took place in Glendale, overcoming a knockdown to stop Liam Wilson of Australia in the ninth round.

The 28-year-old is also a former world titleholder at 122 and 126 pounds. Navarrete has not lost since sixth pro fight against Daniel Argueta in July 2012.

Conceicao (17-2, 8 KOs), who resides in Salvador, Brazil, fought to a no-contest against Nicolas Polanco in his last fight on June 10. A clash of heads between the two during the second round left Polanco disoriented, prompting a ringside physician to determine Polanco should not continue fighting prior to the start of the following round.

In his previous fight on September 23 of last year, Conceicao lost to Shakur Stevenson by unanimous decision. Conceicao was eligible to win the title belts after Stevenson was stripped of the WBC and WBO world junior lightweight title belts for failing to make weight.

The 34-year-old is a 2016 Olympic gold medalist and has fought under the Top Rank banner since his pro debut in November of that year. His other defeat as a pro came against Valdez in September 2021.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached at [email protected]

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