Filipino prizefighter Charly Suarez left no doubt on Sunday that he is ready for a title shot.
Suarez made quick work of Manuel Avila, dropping the American to his knees with a crisp right straight that landed on the button. Avila got back up but looked in no condition to continue, prompting the referee to stop the fight in the very first round of a scheduled 10-rounder at the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, California.
The 37-year-old Filipino improved to 19-0-1 with 13 stoppages, while Avila dropped to 26-3-1. More than preserving his unbeaten record, Charly Suarez also kept his title hopes burning, as a loss would have meant surrendering his WBO No. 1 ranking and status as mandatory challenger to WBO super featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete.
What’s Next for Charly Suarez?
Charly Suarez’s first-round demolition of Avila puts him squarely in the crosshairs of Navarrete, who should have already granted the Filipino his much-deserved rematch after their controversial first match in May 2025. The Mexican, however, has sidestepped the Filipino, resulting in Suarez taking the match with Avila instead.
Now, it looks like the veteran from Davao del Norte will again have to wait if he wants another shot at Navarrete, who is reportedly in talks with WBC super featherweight champion O’Shaquie Foster for a unification. Even so, Suarez could be in line for an equally high-profile match—this time against two-time Olympic gold medalist and former three-division champ Vasily Lomachenko.
The 38-year-old Ukrainian is reportedly set for a comeback and is angling for either Navarrete or Suarez. In this case, a Charly Suarez vs. Vasily Lomachenko prizefight could be just as meaningful for the Filipino, as a win could prove once and for all that Charly Suarez is ready for the big time.
For now, he can enjoy this stoppage.
