May 18: Hometown Hero Giovani Santillan to Fight Brian Norman Jr. in Battle of Unbeaten Welterweights at Pechanga Arena San Diego LIVE on ESPN
Date: Saturday, May 18
Start Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (USA) | 3 a.m. BST (UK, next day)
Streaming: Live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+
Venue: Pechanga Arena, San Diego
Emanuel Navarrete will clash with Ukraine’s Denys Berinchyk for the open WBO lightweight global title on May 18 at Pechanga Arena San Diego. The pride of San Juan Zitlaltepec aims to emulate Mexican icons like Erik Morales, Jorge Arce, Juan Manuel Marquez, Leo Santa Cruz, and Canelo Alvarez by securing a title in a fourth weight division.
In the welterweight secondary fight, San Diego’s own Giovani Santillan, the top contender of WBO, will perform before local supporters against a yet-to-be-revealed rival.
The showdown between Navarrete and Berinchyk, along with Santillan’s comeback, will be streamed live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Top Rank is handling the promotion, with ticket details forthcoming.
Bob Arum, Top Rank’s chairman, expressed excitement about bringing Navarrete back to Pechanga Arena as he pursues a historic fourth division title. He also highlighted the anticipation around featuring San Diego’s own Giovani Santillan, a promising talent poised for welterweight championship glory.
Navarrete (38-1-1, 31 KOs) initially seized the global spotlight by dethroning Isaac Dogboe for the WBO junior featherweight title in December 2018. After dominating the division with five title defenses, he ascended to featherweight, defeating Ruben Villa to become a two-division champion. Navarrete continued his ascent, capturing the WBO junior lightweight title and successfully defending it, including a victory over Oscar Valdez and a draw against Robson Conceição.
Navarrete shared his eagerness for the challenge, emphasizing the honor of potentially joining the ranks of Mexican boxing legends and the energy he draws from fans in San Diego and Tijuana.
Berinchyk (18-0, 9 KOs), a silver medalist from the 2012 Olympics and teammate of boxing greats Vasiliy Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk, has navigated a successful professional journey since 2015. He’s faced and overcome significant challenges, setting the stage for his first world title shot in his U.S. debut.
Santillan (32-0, 17 KOs) has climbed the welterweight ranks since turning professional in 2012, delivering standout performances and securing the WBO’s No. 1 spot. Following a string of impressive victories, including a decisive win over Alexis Rocha, Santillan is on the verge of making history as the next world champion from San Diego.
Giovani “Gallo De Oro” Santillan, San Diego’s own welterweight force, is set to storm the Pechanga Arena for a battle on home soil. Positioned at the peak of the WBO’s welterweight ranks, Santillan faces the unbeaten Brian Norman Jr. in a 12-round rumble on May 18, promising fireworks and fistic fury.
The night’s co-main event will witness a clash for the vacant WBO lightweight crown, pitting Mexican boxing warrior Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete against Ukraine’s Denys Berinchyk in a fight that’s bound to keep fans on their feet.
Kicking off the televised action, heavyweight knockout merchant Richard Torrez Jr. returns to the ring, fresh off a stunning first-round victory last Friday, ready to extend his knockout spree against an as-yet-unnamed adversary.
Top Rank Boxing is at the helm of this thrilling card, with tickets set to fly off the shelves starting April 5, available through AXS.com.
Santillan, riding high on a 32-fight win streak, looks to dazzle his hometown crowd once more and solidify his dominance. Norman, with a sparkling 25-0 record and eyes set on the top, steps up for the biggest test of his career, eager to upset the local hero and make his own mark.
Updated Fight Card:
- Giovani Santillan vs. Brian Norman Jr. – 12 rounds, Welterweight
- Emanuel Navarrete vs. Denys Berinchyk – Vacant WBO Lightweight Title
- Richard Torrez Jr. vs. TBA – Heavyweight
- Emiliano Fernando Vargas – Lightweight, 6 rounds
- Alan Garcia – Lightweight, 8 rounds
- Art Barrera Jr. – Junior Welterweight, 4 rounds
- Charlie Sheehy vs. Manuel Jaimes – Lightweight, 8 rounds
- Jonathan Lopez vs. Edgar Ortega – Junior Lightweight, 8 rounds
- Jonny Mansour – Lightweight, 4 rounds (Pro Debut)