Navarrete-Foster Unification Official for October 24

Emanuel Navarrete and O’Shaquie Foster will meet in a three-belt super-featherweight unification fight on October 24 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, with the WBO granting Navarrete permission to delay his mandatory obligation to Charly Suarez.

The bout, announced for DAZN, will put Navarrete’s WBO and IBF titles against Foster’s WBC belt. It also matches The Ring’s No. 1 and No. 2 fighters at 130lbs, with The Ring confirming via social media that their championship would be at stake.

WBO exception granted

The WBO’s approval is conditional. WBO president Gustavo Olivieri said the organisation’s championship committee unanimously approved an exception allowing Navarrete to proceed with the unification before making his mandatory defence, but the winner must face the WBO mandatory challenger within 180 days of the October 24 fight.

That decision removes a sanctioning obstacle for Navarrete, whose May 2025 bout with Suarez was initially ruled a technical decision win before later being changed to a no contest. Navarrete then added the IBF title in February by stopping Eduardo Nuñez after 10 rounds, giving him two belts at 130lbs before the Foster fight was finalised.

Navarrete, a three-weight titleholder, returned to super featherweight after his split-decision loss to Denys Berinchyk at lightweight in May 2024. He stopped Oscar Valdez in six rounds in their December 2024 rematch, dropping him three times, before the Suarez no contest and the win over Nuñez.

“I’m coming for everything, and I’m coming with everything I’ve got. I’m a Mexican warrior. I fear nothing and no one. I’m glad O’Shaquie Foster accepted the fight, because I’m coming for that third world title. I already have two—so why not three? On October 24, you’re going to see a real Mexican warrior,” Navarrete said.

Foster regained the WBC title from Robson Conceição in November 2024 after losing it by split decision four months earlier. Since then, he has beaten Stephen Fulton and Raymond Ford, the latter by majority decision in Houston in May.

“This is the type of fight every fighter dreams about, and I’m ready for the challenge. I’m also excited to be back in San Antonio and fighting in front of all my fans, both locally and around the world. The support I’ve received throughout my career has meant everything to me, and I’m looking forward to giving everyone another performance to remember. I know I say this every time, but this truly is the biggest fight of my career. I can’t wait to put on for Texas and show the world what ‘Shock’ Foster is all about,” Foster said.

Top Rank president Todd duBoef described the fight as one “fans have been waiting for” and said the winner would be “heralded as the division’s king and considered Fighter of the Year”. Those assessments come from the promoter, but the fight does consolidate the three major belts held by the division’s leading titleholders.

Gonzalez-Vazquez named co-feature

The 10-round featherweight co-feature will match unbeaten Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez with Edward Vazquez. Gonzalez, trained by Robert Garcia, has won three times in 2026, including a second-round knockout of Aaron Alameda for the vacant NABF featherweight title in July.

Vazquez has previously challenged Joe Cordina and Rafael Espinoza for world titles and has won three fights since being stopped by Espinoza in May 2025. “Gonzalez is a talented young fighter with a lot of hype behind him, but I’m the first real test of his career,” Vazquez said. “I’ve worked too hard and come too far to let this opportunity pass me by. Come October 24, I plan on showing everyone there are levels to this.”

Frank Martin will also make his Top Rank debut on the card in a 10-round super-lightweight bout, with his opponent still to be announced. Martin has fought twice since moving to 140lbs, stopping Rances Barthelemy and then drawing with Nahir Albright in February.

The main card is scheduled to stream on DAZN from 8pm ET, with tickets due to go on sale on September 11.