For Brazilian Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceição, he hopes the third time will be the charm.
Conceição will have his third world title opportunity when he takes on WBO junior lightweight world champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete on Thursday, Nov. 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Navarrete-Conceição will serve as the co-feature to the vacant WBC lightweight title clash between pound-for-pound star Shakur Stevenson and Dominican slugger Edwin De Los Santos.
Stevenson-De Los Santos and Navarrete-Conceição will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Sampson Boxing, tickets are on sale now via AXS.com.
Conceição (17-2, 8 KOs) made history as Brazil’s first Olympic boxing gold medalist, turning pro under the Top Rank banner less than three months after the 2016 Rio Games. In September 2021, he earned his first shot at a world title against Oscar Valdez, who was then the unbeaten WBC champ at junior lightweight. Although he lost a close points verdict, he proved to be a worthy title contender.
Conceição put up a spirited showing against Stevenson last September in a bid for the WBC and WBO titles. Conceição, who earned the gold medal in his third attempt at Olympic glory, aims to repeat that accomplishment as a pro. Navarrete (38-1, 31 KOs) is a three-division world champion from Mexico and has won 33 consecutive bouts.
Following a recent training session, this is what Conceição had to say:
“I have the utmost respect for a great champion like ‘Vaquero’ Navarrete. He is a good person and a tremendous fighter, and I am sure that we will have a great battle. He has something that is the thing I want most in my professional life. I’m not coming to play. I’m coming for his title. Navarrete, I’m very sorry.”
“I won my gold medal in my third Olympic Games. Now, I will win my world title in my third opportunity. I will take his title to Brazil, and it will be a bigger national celebration than when I won Olympic gold in Rio 2016. I will join the select group of Olympic champions to win a world title as a professional.”
