Emanuel Navarrete’s return to the junior lightweight division has encouraged the WBO champion to pursue full title unification.

The three-weight world champ would welcome opportunities to oppose O’Shaquie Foster (WBC), Lamont Roach (WBA) or Anthony Cacace (IBF) and attempt to add a second 130-pound crown to his resume.

Foster, Roach and Cacace all either have fights scheduled or are awaiting word from their handlers regarding potential deals, which could leave Navarrete on a divergent path if the tough Mexican fends off undefeated underdog Charly Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs) Saturday night in San Diego.

If he defeats Suarez and can’t secure a title unification fight next, Navarrete (39-2-1, 31 KOs) will consider moving back up to lightweight for a shot at WBO 135-pound champ Keyshawn Davis (13-0, 9 KOs, 1 NC).

The WBO would afford Navarrete the option in that scenario to keep its junior lightweight title, which would give Navarrete the leverage to move back down to 130 pounds again if Davis defeated him. That’s what Navarrete did after Denys Berinchyk beat him by split decision in their 12-round, 135-pound WBO title fight last May 18 at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, where Navarrete will box the Philippines’ Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs), the WBO’s mandatory challenger for his belt.

“It depends on some things to see if we’re gonna retry it at 135 pounds and look for a world title,” Navarrete told The Ring. “[Fighting Davis] would obviously be the easiest because of the way the WBO is, to fight the WBO champion. But it depends on some things, to know whether we would be able to fight Keyshawn after this fight or maybe at the end of this year.”

Navarrete and Davis are both promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc., which would make a bout between them easier to put together.

Davis destroyed Berinchyk (19-1, 9 KOs) on February 14 in New York to win the WBO belt the previously unbeaten Ukrainian won when he edged Navarrete almost a year ago. The Norfolk, Virginia native knocked out Berinchyk in the fourth round of a main event ESPN televised from The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Navarrete had much more trouble while boxing Berinchyk. He still believes he would succeed in a second fight at the lightweight limit, even against a skilled, strong champion like Davis, who will make his first defense of the WBO lightweight title against Dominican southpaw Edwin De Los Santos (16-2, 14 KOs) on June 7 at Scope Arena in Norfolk.

“It was just one fight in that division,” Navarrete said. “Maybe it wasn’t the best preparation. Maybe we didn’t do things well. I just think that we should adjust a few things in camp and it will be no problem at 135 pounds.”

Navarrete knocked out Mexican rival Oscar Valdez during the sixth round of their rematch in Navarrete’s last fight. The 30-year-old Navarrete dropped Valdez (32-3, 24 KOs) in the first, fourth and sixth rounds before referee Raul Caiz Jr. stopped their second bout December 7 at Footprint Center in Phoenix.

The Ring’s junior lightweight title is unclaimed. Navarrete is the No. 1-ranked contender in The Ring’s 130-pound ratings, ahead of the second-ranked Foster, third-rated Cacace and Roach in fourth.

ESPN will televise Navarrete-Suarez as the main event of a two-bout broadcast set to begin at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday night. Russia’s Zaur Abdullaev (20-1, 12 KOs) and Raymond Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs), of Fontana, California, will fight for the IBF interim lightweight title in ESPN’s 12-round co-feature.