Emanuel Navarrete makes it two in a row over Issac Dogboe

Last December, Emanuel Navarrete surprised the boxing world by upsetting WBO junior featherweight champion Issac Dogboe.

Navarrete replied that he’d defeat Dogboe again, but this time by knockout. Dogboe scoffed at Navarrete’s prediction and replied that Navarrete’s victory was a fluke.

A sequel to settle the matter was a no-brainer.

Navarrete proved to be quite the prophet, stopping Dogboe in round 12 to retain his WBO junior featherweight title at the Covention Center in Tucson, AZ Saturday night.

The time was 2:02 of round 12.

Navarrete (27-0, 23 KOs) took control immediately in the rematch. His huge advantages in height (five inches) and reach (eight inches) were apparent. He stuck his jab in Dogboe’s face consistently. Dogboe (20-2, 14 KOs) rushed after him, firing hooks, but was short with most of them. Navarrete clocked Dogboe with a hard combination at the bell.

The dye had been cast. In round two, a Navarrete staggered Dogboe. A short left uppercut made him dizzy. Dogboe, with the heart of a lion, charged out in round three. Navarrete stayed calm and fired lefts and rights. He dug to the body. Two more uppercuts connected. Dogboe’s right eye was swollen. He wobbled into the ropes-barly surviving the round.

Dogboe needed to land something big in round four to change the complexion of the fight. Navarrete went back to working the body. He switched to southpaw and landed a long right. Dobue connected with a left hook that had no effect on Navarrete-who boxed and strafed Dogboe with a combination. Dogboe fought back with his own hard blows.

Navarrete connected with a couple of combinations in round six. Dogboe was shaky, but was still fighting. A left sent Dogboe into the ropes in what was called a knockdown. Seconds later, a clubbing left hurt Dogboe.

Dogboe took more punishment in rounds seven and eight. He was fighting on guts and instinct. The former champ landed an overhand left. Navarrete dug more shots to the belly. A combination badly hurt Dogboe. He wobbled. Navarrete kept working and landing. Dogboe, with a heart bigger than his body, was taking too many punches.

Navarrete tried to put Dogboe out of his misery in round nine. He connected with a right from his corner. Somehow Dogboe took it. Navarrete attacked with hooks. A straight right knocked Dogboe sideways. He staggered to his corner. At this point the fight should have been stopped, but Dogboe’s corner (his father) sent him out for round 10. Navarrete took his time. A check hook hurt.

Dogboe found his shaky legs to stay out of the range. Round 11 saw Navarrete doling out more punishment. Dogboe was still trying, but he’d miss a punch and stagger like a zombie.

In the 12^th and final round, the courageous Dogboe tried to force the action. Bad idea. Navarrete clubbed him with a short hook. Dogboe staggered again-Navarrete pounced and fired a right and left that floored Dogboe. Somehow he beat the count but his corner finally threw in the towel ending the fight.

The time was 2:02 of round 12.

“I’m very surprised he could take so many hard shots," said Navarrete. "He landed some hard shots as well."