All accounts indicate that the junior lightweight title unification bout and all-Mexico matchup is destined to deliver, and now it must be proven when Navarette (39-2-1, 32 KOs), the WBO champion, and Nunez (29-1, 27 KOs), the IBF titleholder, square off at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on DAZN.

"Vaquero" Navarrete and "Sugar" Nunez are ranked Nos. 2 and 4 by The Ring at 130 pounds, and there is tremendous mutual respect coming in from both sides during the buildup of the bout.

It’s a far cry from the riveting rivalry between Hall of Fame Mexican fighters Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, which featured bad blood and punches thrown at press conferences and three wars inside the ring between 2000 and 2004 and across 122, 126, and 130 pounds.

But admiration will go out the door once Navarrete, 31, and Nunez, 28, go toe-to-toe during their duel.

“If you look at the previous wars between Mexican fighters, they set the bar extremely high,” Nunez told The Ring. “I think there have been some great examples between Mexicans over the years.

“I loved the Barrera-Morales fights. Those were tremendous wars. I’ve not really got a favorite out of the two. I wouldn’t dare to say who’s my favorite, but I really did follow the careers of both. I loved watching them fight.

“But because of our styles, Navarette’s and mine, and our winning mentalities, I do believe it will be a wonderful Mexican war that people will experience.”

The four-division champion Navarrete is the more seasoned fighter, but is coming into the clash with a chip on his shoulder. Navarrete last fought in May and was fortunate to eventually walk away with a No Contest against Charly Suarez. The fight was originally announced as a technical decision win for Navarrete, but it was later overturned when it was ruled that a punch caused the fight-ending cut near Navarrete’s eye, not a headbutt.

Before the Suarez fight, Navarrete knocked out Oscar Valdez in a rematch for the title he holds now, lost a split decision to Denys Berinchyk in his lightweight debut, and fought to a majority draw against Robson Conceicao despite dropping him twice.

The series of uneven results over the last 27 months has made Navarrete a +155 betting underdog and Nunez a -200 betting favorite, according to DraftKings.

“I want to make a statement to show that I belong on this level and that I am ready for opponents like this,” Navarrete said during a training montage produced by Matchroom, the lead promoter of the event.

“It's going to be a fight where I'm not going to give up my title easily. I want people to feel that I'm a champion who can defend a title with full respect to any opponent, that I still have that grit, that heart, and that drive.

“What defines the Mexican fighter is always connecting with the opponent. Where there are two Mexicans in the ring, the minimum you can expect is a war.”

As he prepared for battle, Navarrete, who’s historically looked soft around the middle, dialed up training at his gym in San Juan Zitlaltepec, Mexico.

“I didn't usually do that much conditioning. Maybe some abs, a bit of weight training, things like that. Boxing-wise, I did everything,” said Navarrete. “I believe it's going to be a very strong fight. It’s going to become very tough and complicated. I think whoever arrives better prepared, or whoever has the better camp, is going to get the best result.”

Nunez also switched up training routines and prepared for the first time in Tucson, Arizona, and nearby Mount Lemmon, nearly two hours away from the fight venue.

“I think it was a good move and a strong addition to this preparation,” said Nunez. “We know the fight we have in front of us. We know the sacrifices it requires. We always work hard, and this hasn't been the exception.

“I dream a lot about this fight. I feel something different. This fight motivates me a lot, and I have great confidence in myself and my team. It's going to be a great fight.

“It's a major moment for Mexican boxing. More than anything, it's about showing everything we have and who we truly are. I guarantee it's going to be a great one. God willing, they'll raise my hand. No one is going to stop me.”

Nunez is a knockout machine, but has only blasted second-rate competition at home in Mexico. He stopped every opponent in his first 27 wins, but has gone the distance over his last two fights during his title run.

Nunez scored a unanimous decision against Masanori Rikiishi in May in Japan for the vacant IBF title and defended it against Christopher Diaz-Velez in September with another unanimous decision.

Nunez realizes Navarrete is built differently.

“I think there is a lot to prove in this fight,” said Nunez. “We know who we are, but there is a lot to show because we're facing a great opponent, a fighter whose career I personally admire.

“Navarrete is a fighter with a lot of reach. He's big and throws a lot of punches. It's a different style, but we're working to adapt to it, and we're confident it's going to work.

“He's had a long career as a world champion; we're just getting started. I feel a greater sense of responsibility since my reign is just beginning. I only have one defense so far, and I need to prove more. I know we're going to achieve it.”

Navarrete vs. Nunez appears to have all of the makings to be a competitive back-and-forth brawl meriting a rematch, no matter who the winner is. If the clash is hotly contested, as everyone expects it to be, a sequel to continue the captivating saga could make more sense than moving on to other belt-holders. The remaining champions in the division are O'Shaquie Foster (WBC) and Jazza Dickens (WBA). The Ring title is vacant.

If Navarrete and Nunez run it back, it would also set up another high-level rivalry between Mexicans, a missing element from the sport ever since the quadrilogy between Rafael Marquez and Israel Vazquez culminated in 2010.

“The belts we're fighting for deserve the respect, and each fighter has the obligation to be prepared and give everything in the ring,” said Navarrete.

“I think the fight is very even. It's going to be a very hard fight. Whoever wins is going to walk away at the very least cut or hurt. Nunez is on my same wavelength, and that's the perfect combination for an excellent fight.”