Suarez last fought in May of 2025, meeting Emanuel Navarrete in a controversial fight for the WBO junior lightweight title. Navarrete was originally declared the winner by unanimous technical decision, but the fight was changed to a no contest when video conclusively showed that the cut that led referee Edward Collantes to stop the fight was caused by a punch and not a headbutt. Navarrete, 40-2-1 (33 KOs), returned to the ring in February, stopping Eduardo Nunez in a fight that unified his WBO title with the IBF belt, meaning that Suarez will have the opportunity to pick up two belts when his mandatory title opportunity occurs.
