Predictions: Navarrete vs Valdez and Espinoza vs Ramirez rematches

ESPN has two world title rematches on Saturday. Who wins Navarrete-Valdez and Espinoza-Ramirez the second time around?

Emanuel Navarrete vs Oscar Valdez 2

Scott Christ

I like both guys, but I also think they’re past their primes for real, not just by a little but notably so. Maybe I’m wrong. I’d rather be wrong. But the Navarrete we’ve seen the last two times out has seen, it appears, bad habits in camp catching up with him, and Valdez just doesn’t fight in all that motivated a style anymore.

Maybe they’re at a similar decline level that it’s still a well-matched, good fight for the fans, but I worry we get a somewhat tepid affair from the two of them this time around. They’re not old, but both have a good amount of miles on them, have been in lots of good fights over the years — if it isn’t up to their old standards, I’m not holding it against either of them.

And maybe it will be! I have been wrong before and I’d love for the fellas to get out there and have another barnburner. I’m going with Navarrete, who is coming in with more motivation, I suspect, and I have the feeling that if he builds early momentum — which he will try to do — Valdez might be a bit checked out by the eighth round or so. Navarrete UD-12

Wil Esco

I think both Navarrete and Valdez are on the decline, but I think Valdez has taken more accumulated damage over his career which will play a part of how this fight transpires. Navarrete was able to take a clear decision over Valdez when they first met in August 2023, and I think the outcome of this one will be more or less the same with Navarrete using his superior length to outpoint Valdez over the distance.

Hopefully both fighters will come to bring the action, and that’s not something I’m all that concerned about, but I do think the rematch could prove to be a little more muted than the first one. Navarrete UD-12

John Hansen

The first fight was a great action showcase, but it wasn’t particularly close. Navarrete has looked less than stellar in two fights since, but those were due to an inability to impose himself on the best version of Robson Conceicao we’ve ever seen, and an inability to stop imposing himself on the snack pantry in advance of his 140 lbs debut against Denys Berinchyk.

Perhaps Navarrete lost himself to bad habits and poor discipline, but I think it’s more likely we see him take down Valdez again, this time without involvement from the judges. Navarrete TKO-10

Patrick Stumberg

For me, this boils down to whether Navarrete took the right lessons from his loss to Denys Berinchyk. “Vaquero” has everything he needs to recreate his performance from the first time they met; he’s still too rangy and too active for Valdez, especially now that he knows he can take Valdez’s best shot and overpower him even with a damaged hand. That said, his last two fights raised the question of whether he’s still putting in the work to maintain the conditioning necessary for his ultra-high-volume style.

I’m willing to be optimistic. His style is demonstrably all wrong for Valdez and I haven’t seen anything from Oscar to suggest he can make the necessary adjustments to deal with Navarrete’s singular approach. So long as he’s in good shape and his hand holds up, I like Navarrete to outwork him again. Navarrete UD-12

Rafael Espinoza vs Robeisy Ramirez 2

Scott Christ

I think I like Robeisy here, but Espinoza is the real deal, a rough style matchup for anyone given his height and activity. I just think Robeisy will get him this time, he cracked him pretty good the first time around and this time I think he’ll be looking for specific shots and coming with a specific approach.

I also believe — and this is not really a positive — that Ramirez has a habit of switching off ahead of fights he expects will be easier than they turn out to be, and he does it to enough of a degree that he doesn’t just struggle, he will lose because of it. It’s happened a couple times. It probably will happen again.

But he knows what kind of fighter Espinoza really is this time. He wants revenge. He’s wanted the rematch since the first fight ended. I expect this one to be really good, and I think we get a finish. Ramirez TKO-10

Wil Esco

Robeisy Ramirez seems to have a lot of uneven performances during his professional career, and that makes it difficult for me to have a ton of confidence in what he’ll ultimately bring to the ring on fight night.

The first time these two met Espinoza was able to squeak out a majority decision win, and I think this will be another close fight where I’d still give the edge to Espinoza, if for no other reason than his consistency compared to Ramirez. This fight strikes me as a split decision kind of affair, and I think Espinoza benefits. Espinoza SD-12

John Hansen

This one was an absolute delight the first time around, with both men on the cusp of defeat on multiple occasions and the sort of see-saw drama that would feel unrealistic if it were a work of fiction.

Even with the tremendous heart Espinoza showed, Ramirez was maybe 10 to 15 seconds away from finishing him off before the halfway point, and we’ve already seen Ramirez learn from defeat and find motivation in a setback. With a shot at revenge, the belt he lost back within reach, and the things he learned about Espinoza the first time around, I fully expect him to find the edge necessary to swing the rematch his way. Ramirez TKO-9

Patrick Stumberg

There’s no way to look at Ricardo Espinoza, a 6’1” featherweight with the gas tank to throw 100 punches in a championship round, and know the correct approach. Ramirez certainly didn’t, spending too much time behind a high guard and letting the bigger man push him around the ring. When he decided to lead, Ramirez did a solid job of getting inside and working the body, but seemed to lose sight of that strategy when Espinoza refused to go away. Even with Espinoza fighting at his peak and Ramirez below his abilities, “Divino” only barely eked out a win, and that’s what’s got me picking “El Tren” in the rematch.

Maybe I’m overestimating Ramirez’s adaptability based on his amateur pedigree; the guy loves dishing out head trauma and there’s no guarantee he won’t revert to that if he gets excited again. I just feel like he’s got what it takes to focus on what worked the first time around, toss out what didn’t, and find the mark with something decisive around the halfway point. Staying aggressive, working the body, and managing his energy against a dervish like Espinoza is a tall ask, but Ramirez is also built different. Ramirez TKO-5