Now, Suarez has his sights set on settling things with IBF and WBO 130-pound champion Emanuel Navarrete.

Suarez’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, called for the WBO to order their teams to begin negotiations for a rematch. Navarrete and Suarez (19-0, 11 KOs, 1 NC) fought to a controversial no-contest in May 2025 and Suarez was later named Navarrete’s mandatory challenger.

“By destroying Manuel Avila, Charly Suarez proved once again he is the top contender to Emanuel Navarrete,” Lewkowicz said in a press release issued Monday. “And we ask the WBO to enforce their order and direct his team to start negotiating for a rematch.”

Navarrete (40-2-1, 33 KOs, 1 NC) originally beat Suarez by technical unanimous decision, after their fight was stopped due to a cut he suffered in the sixth round.

Referee Edward Collantes ruled that the cut came from a headbutt. At the start of the eighth round, a ringside doctor stopped the fight because of the nasty gash over Navarrete’s left eye.

Veteran referee Jack Reis, the California State Athletic Commission’s replay official, looked to see if the cut came from a headbutt or a punch, and Collantes’ call stood.

After the decision was announced, a different replay angle revealed the cut came from a punch. Had Reis or Collantes ruled that the cut came from a punch, Suarez would have won by eighth-round stoppage and become the WBO junior lightweight champion.

The CSAC later held a hearing and overturned the result to a no-contest. The WBO then named the 37-year-old Suarez, of San Isidro, Davao del Norte, Philippines, as Navarrete’s mandatory challenger.

“Charly’s dream is to be world champion, and we feel he deserves another shot at the title,” Delfin Boholst, Suarez’s manager and trainer, said. “Avila was a capable opponent, and Charly had no problem with him. We are ready for another shot at the world title.”

Navarrete, of San Juan Zitlaltepec, Distrito Federal, Mexico, has fought once since his no-contest with Suarez, winning a dominant 11th-round stoppage over then-IBF titleholder Eduardo Nunez on February 28 in Glendale, Arizona.

Navarrete, 31, who has held world titles in three divisions, is in discussions for another unification clash against WBC 130-pound champion O’Shaquie Foster next. A Navarrete-Foster fight would crown a Ring champion as well because Navarrete is The Ring’s No. 1 contender and Foster (25-3, 12 KOs) is ranked No. 2.

Foster-Navarrete negotiations might not proceed until the Suarez situation is addressed. If Navarrete refuses to defend his WBO belt against Suarez, he could be stripped, which would leave Navarrete and Foster to fight for the IBF, WBC and Ring belts.