At just eight years old, Steven Navarro was told that boxing might not be for him. Now, at 22, the Los Angeles southpaw is chasing a very different goal: becoming a world champion.
Navarro has already experienced some of the setbacks that come with a professional boxing career. The junior bantamweight prospect suffered his first defeat in only his eighth professional appearance, but the loss has done little to slow his ambitions.
With an 8-1 record and five victories inside the distance, Navarro is preparing to face New Orleans' Delvin McKinley on Saturday at the Bash Boxing event on the Santa Monica Pier.
For Navarro, the challenge is about more than simply adding another win. He understands that developing as a professional requires patience, experience and a willingness to learn from those around him.
His first setback came in November, when a bout against Jesse Mendoza was stopped after four rounds. Navarro had been knocked down before the contest ended because of cuts suffered by Mendoza, resulting in a technical decision loss.
Rather than allowing the defeat to derail him, Navarro used it as a learning experience and returned to action in February, defeating Mario Hernandez.
Now, he is focused on continuing to develop while surrounding himself with people who understand what it takes to reach the highest level.
“The way I do that is just adding people on my team who have that experience,” Navarro said.
His father, Refugio, has professional boxing experience, while his uncles Jose and Carlos have also reached the upper levels of the sport. Navarro's current trainer has brought further knowledge from years spent around experienced fighters and old-school boxing.
Navarro believes the key is absorbing as much information as possible and improving every day rather than waiting until after each fight to make adjustments.
“A lot of times we think we have to grow after the fight, but it's every day, getting a percentage better every day, and that’s what we do.”
Learning From Boxing's Best
Navarro's development has also been accelerated by an amateur career in which he trained consistently, giving him plenty of opportunities to sharpen his skills before turning professional.
Perhaps even more valuable has been his experience sharing the ring with some of the biggest names in boxing. Navarro has sparred with Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, Junto Nakatani and Naoya Inoue.
One of his earliest memorable experiences came with Gonzalez. Navarro was only 16 when he worked with the former multi-division world champion and quickly discovered why the Nicaraguan was regarded as one of the sport's finest pound-for-pound fighters.
“There’s two fighters who I really, really loved sparring,” Navarro said. “The first one was with ‘Chocolatito’, Roman ‘Chocolatito’. I was 16 years old and I was able to see why he’s a multi-division world champion, and why he was such a great pound-for-pound champion.”
Nakatani has also been a major source of learning for Navarro, who says he particularly enjoys sharing the ring with the Japanese star.
“Another fighter who I love learning from and sharpening each other up was Junto Nakatani. That’s a fighter who I love sharing the ring with.”
His experience has not been limited to those two fighters. Navarro has also worked with Rodriguez and Inoue, giving him a unique perspective on how elite champions operate in the gym.
“I’ve also sparred multiple world champions like Bam Rodriguez, Inoue, and I’m just constantly doing what I can in there, constantly learning.”
His sessions with Gonzalez left a particularly strong impression. Navarro remembers the subtle details of the veteran's approach, from his footwork and pivots to his hand positioning and ability to apply intelligent pressure.
“He’s a fighter who has smart pressure, but the little movements he would do, little side steps, he would pivot you a certain type of way, the hand positioning, little things like that, and being able to take and give as well.”
Navarro says the experience was almost surreal because he was able to respond with some of those same techniques during their work together. More importantly, those rounds helped convince him that becoming a world champion was a realistic ambition.
The young fighter recalls boxing seven four-minute rounds with Gonzalez, an experience that gave him a valuable glimpse of what life at the championship level could look like.
Inoue vs. Bam: Who Would Win?
Given that Navarro has shared the ring with both Inoue and Rodriguez, he is naturally asked for his opinion on a potential meeting between the two stars.
For now, Navarro slightly favors Inoue, pointing to the Japanese fighter's physical advantages as one reason for his prediction. However, he knows better than most that boxing can change in an instant.
“But boxing is boxing. And within a blink of an eye, anything can happen.”
A matchup between the two would also require Rodriguez to move up in weight, while Navarro himself is beginning his own journey toward competing at heavier weights.
Aiming for Longevity
Navarro is stepping up to 118 pounds for his upcoming fight, and the additional weight has already made a noticeable difference to how he feels physically.
“I feel great getting those extra meals and I’m feeling strong. Really, really strong,” he said.
For Navarro, moving through the weight classes is part of a long-term plan rather than a race to reach the top as quickly as possible.
“For me, it’s just so much of the longevity. It’s a reminder that it’s a marathon. I’m not in a race. And it’s a matter of also listening to one’s body.”
He believes he could eventually finish his career around 140 pounds, suggesting that he sees himself competing for many years and potentially moving through several divisions.
From Childhood Doubt to World Title Ambitions
That long-term vision is a remarkable change from Navarro's first experience with boxing. At eight years old, he trained with his father for roughly two weeks before developing blisters on his knuckles and becoming overwhelmed by the experience.
His father ultimately told him that boxing was not for him.
“It’s not for you,” his dad told him.
Navarro eventually returned to the sport, developed the physical and mental toughness required to compete and began building a career that has already taken him into the ring with some of the world's best fighters.
His next test comes against McKinley, who enters the contest with a 15-5-1 record and 14 knockouts. Navarro has watched some footage of his opponent, but he has left the detailed preparation to his team.
Rather than becoming overly focused on a rigid strategy, Navarro wants to make adjustments once the opening bell rings.
“You have a game plan, a blueprint. But then once you’re in there, it’s just a matter of adjusting, so I allow my team to do it. I really do trust them and their opinions.”
Despite being only 22 and still developing as a professional, Navarro says he will approach Saturday's contest with the seriousness of a championship bout.
“I know he’s coming to fight and we don’t take any fight lightly. We’re coming like it’s a world championship fight.”
From being told as a child that he was not built for boxing to sharing the ring with Inoue, Rodriguez, Nakatani and Gonzalez, Navarro's journey has already been unusual. Now, he is looking to turn those experiences into the foundation for a much bigger career.
