Junior featherweight world titlist Emanuel Navarrete, fresh from defending his belt on Saturday night, will be back in action for defense No. 3 on Sept. 14 against Juan Miguel Elorde, Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti told ESPN on Thursday.
After Navarrete blew away Francisco De Vaca by a one-sided third-round knockout in the ESPN-televised main event on Saturday night in Los Angeles, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said Navarrete would quickly return in the co-feature on the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN+ card headlined by lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury against Otto Wallin at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
But Top Rank had to work quickly to find an opponent and got its man in Elorde (28-1, 15 KOs), 32, of the Philippines.
"The paperwork is done and I expect to get it back shortly," Moretti said. "Elorde is ranked No. 2 in the WBO and the fight is sanctioned. Elorde was already in the gym and he took the fight with no hesitation. It's Mexico versus the Philippines on Mexican Independence Day weekend. We're very happy we could get the deal done with all parties."
Elorde is the grandson of Filipino legend and International Boxing Hall of Famer Gabriel "Flash" Elorde, the longtime 1960s junior lightweight world champion. Elorde will be fighting outside of the Philippines for the second time, having also boxed on the Manny Pacquiao-Lucas Matthysse undercard in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 13 months ago.
Elorde will be taking a big step up in competition against Navarrete, but he has not lost since dropping a four-round decision in his 11th fight, in 2011.
Navarrete (28-1, 24 KOs), 24, of Mexico, came away from the fight with De Vaca having had no issues, so he was pleased to take another title defense just a month later.
"Rarely do you see fighters come back the following month, much less world champions," Moretti said. "It's a true testament to his team and his dedication to the sport."
Navarrete burst on the scene in December when he won a decision over heavily favored Isaac Dogboe to win the 122-pound belt and then knocked Dogboe out in the 12th round of an even more dominating victory in their immediate rematch on May 11.