“San Diego is an incredible fight town, and we are thrilled to return with Emanuel Navarrete, who will go down as one of the great Mexican champions of his era,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Charly Suarez is a determined, unbeaten contender who will have everyone in the Philippines cheering him on. Raymond Muratalla is an elite lightweight but has a tall task against Abdullaev, who has been on a tremendous run for several years.”  

Navarrete (39-2-1, 32 KOs) returns to the site of perhaps his greatest professional disappointment. Last May at Pechanga Arena, he moved up five pounds to battle Denys Berinchyk for the vacant WBO lightweight world title. Berinchyk upset Navarrete by split decision, spoiling his dream of becoming a four-weight world champion. In his return to 130 pounds last December, Navarrete was in vintage form, stopping Oscar Valdez in a rematch over six one-sided rounded rounds in Phoenix, Arizona. Navarrete enters his 16th world title bout, a staggering run that began in December 2018 with his upset of Isaac Dogboe for the WBO junior featherweight crown.

Navarrete said, “I'm at a new stage of my career, and I’m fired up for another defense of my world title. This fight motivates me. Suarez is undefeated and dangerous. He’s ranked No. 1 in the world for a reason. He’s exactly the kind of challenge that fuels me. I owe the fans in San Diego a win, and on May 10, I’ll settle that debt with a dominant victory.”

Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs) had several hundred fights as an amateur, representing his homeland at the 2016 Olympics and several World Championships. A six-year pro, he won a pair of regional titles in March 2023 when he scored a come-from-behind 12th-round stoppage over Paul Fleming on hostile turf in Sydney, Australia. The Fleming triumph paved the way for a deal with Top Rank, and Suarez has won three straight fights in America. He knocked out Jorge Castañeda in three rounds last September, which came five months removed from a hard-fought eight-round decision over Louie Coria. The Philippines has two reigning world champions — 105-pound standouts Melvin Jerusalem and Pedro Taduran — and Suarez looks to become lucky number three.

Suarez said, “I am thankful to Top Rank for this opportunity.  When I enter the ring on May 10, I will show the world I have what it takes. I won’t waste this opportunity. Navarrete is a monster in the ring, but I know I am better.”

Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs), from Fontana, California, returns to his home state for the first time in over two years. On that March 2023 evening in Fresno, he rose from a first-round knockdown to knock out Humberto Galindo in nine. Since that brief hiccup, Muratalla has steadily climbed the ranks, including knocking out the big-punching Jeremia Nakathila in two and outlasting former world champion Tevin Farmer over 10 rounds en route to a unanimous decision. Last November, he iced Jesus Perez in two rounds to earn this shot at the interim world title.

“I’ve been working toward this my whole life. Every fighter dreams of becoming a world champion, and on May 10, I take a big step toward making that a reality,” Muratalla said. “Zaur Abdullaev is a good fighter. He’s beaten tough opponents, including former world champions, but I’m done waiting. I’m highly ranked and have put in the work. It’s my time now. When I take that interim title, the Raymond Muratalla era begins."

Abdullaev (20-1, 12 KOs) hasn't lost in more than five years, having won nine straight fights since falling via fourth-round TKO to Devin Haney in September 2019. His string of victories includes a 12th-round stoppage of three-weight world champion Jorge Linares, a convincing 12-round decision over one-time WBC lightweight world champion Dejan Zlatičanin, a third-round stoppage of then-unbeaten contender Roman Andreev, and a 10-round decision over Venezuelan former junior lightweight world champion Roger Gutierrez. Last October, Abdullaev battered Argentina’s Juan Javier Carrasco en route to a 12th-round TKO.

“I’m coming to America ready to take this belt,” Abdullaev said. “Muratalla is a top contender, but I have the skills and experience needed to emerge victorious.”

The ESPN+-streamed undercard includes some local flavor as welterweight contender Giovani Santillan (33-1, 18 KOs) looks to maintain his momentum against Angel Beltran (18-2-1, 11 KOs) in a 10-rounder. After losing his “0” via TKO last May at Pechanga Arena, “El Gallo De Oro” returned to winning ways in December with a first-round stoppage of Fredrick Lawson. Beltran, from Mexicali, Mexico, is coming off a third-round KO of Jose Quintero Velarde earlier this month. 

About ESPN+

ESPN+ is the multi-sport, direct-to-consumer video service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC, Top Rank boxing and PFL fights and events, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, UEFA Nations League, EFL Championship, EFL Carabao Cup, Eredivisie, and more), thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films. Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time.

ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on mobile and connected devices) and ESPN.com.

About ESPN

In the UK, ESPN operates a successful and growing business that includes a collection of leading sports websites and apps, an expanding sports content sales business, live and on-demand streaming service ESPN Player, and a long-term collaboration with BT Sport that includes BT Sport operating an ESPN-branded channel as part of its television business.

ESPN UK combines bespoke content from an experienced London-based team with the best writing on other sites in ESPN’s global digital portfolio, including ESPNcricinfo.com and ESPN FC. More than 100 staff from multiple locations contribute to ESPN UK’s coverage across football, rugby, cricket, tennis, boxing and golf, offering both a local and global view.

ESPN’s UK business is part of ESPN International, a division of ESPN, Inc., which has grown to include ownership — in whole or in part — of 26 television networks outside of the United States, as well as a variety of additional businesses that allow ESPN to reach sports fans in more than 60 countries and territories across all seven continents. Since 1983, ESPN (founded in Bristol, Connecticut, in 1979) has grown around the world, establishing itself as the leading global sports media brand – ESPN.com is one of the world’s leading sports websites. The company’s philosophy to global growth is to always serve sports fans and be locally relevant to them, with content and products that tap into their great passion and dedication. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

It has been announced the partnership between ESPN and Top Rank which began in 2017, with the current long-term deal signed in 2018 is not expected to be renewed with Top Rank Boxing when it expires in August 2025.

Top Rank is actively exploring its options for future media rights as its current deal with ESPN nears its end. The boxing promotion is engaged in discussions with ESPN and various other parties to secure a new broadcasting partnership. In an effort to find a suitable platform, Top Rank has reached out to major streaming services like Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery. However, these preliminary talks have not yielded significant interest from either company. Additionally, Top Rank has been in conversations with ProBox TV, a digital platform focused exclusively on boxing content, potentially exploring opportunities to showcase some of its fighters on this specialized platform.

About Top Rank

Innovation has been the standard at Top Rank since it was established in 1966 by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. The boxing industry’s leading promotional company, Top Rank has shaped, developed, and promoted the careers of top international pay-per-view superstars and Hall of Famers, including Muhammad Ali, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Aaron Pryor, Alexis Arguello, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto, Erik Morales, Terence Crawford, and Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Top Rank has promoted some of the most memorable fights in the sport’s history, including 26 Ali events, Leonard vs. Hearns, Pryor vs. Arguello, Duran vs. Leonard, Hagler vs. Hearns, Leonard vs. Hagler, Foreman vs. Holyfield, Morales vs. Barrera, De La Hoya vs. Trinidad, and the most lucrative fight in boxing history, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. In addition to the previously mentioned super fights, Top Rank possesses one of the largest sports libraries, which includes nearly 10,000 fights.

Known for creating strategic collaborations between athletes, sponsors, and television networks, Top Rank has been an architect of boxing’s global growth by staging high-profile events in landmark settings around the world, including Madison Square Garden, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Staples Center, Wembley Arena, Araneta Coliseum, The Venetian Macao, Yankee Stadium, Radio City Music Hall, The “Fabulous” Forum, and AT&T Stadium. Top Rank has also been the leader within the boxing industry in creating unforgettable in-arena experiences for fans and embracing 21st century technological advancements to distribute world-class fights and shoulder programming across a variety of platforms.