WBO featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete has revealed that talks were held over a fight with Shakur Stevenson.
The Mexican believed that a fight could have been held as soon as August 20 but instead the negotiations were limited and nothing came to fruition.
“There were brief conversations with Shakur’s team but nothing really came of it, at least from his side,” Navarrete told BoxingScene.com.
“We were ready on our side, but the fight just never happened.
“Hopefully, we can revisit that conversation after August 20.”
Instead, Navarrete faces fellow Mexican Eduardo Baez this Saturday, and in a little over a month the junior lightweight WBC and WBO champion will take on his WBO mandatory Robson Conceicao.
Frustrated by being unable to take on other big names at 126lbs, Navarrete is more than willing to make 130lbs if it opens up more opportunities.
“Right now, I can make weight, no problem,” Navarrete explained.
“It’s just the normal struggles that come with any training camp when you start to cut weight in the end. I’m fine at featherweight for and if the right opportunities come, I can continue to make 126.
“If they don’t come, then like I said, there’s no point and I may as well move up to 130 by then. Obviously a Shakur fight would take place at 130, but we will see about moving up permanently after August 20. For now, we have a big fight in front of us and I’m just focused on that.”