Few fighters have captivated the boxing world with their ability to attack their opponents with movement and angles like former four-division champion Vasiliy Lomachenko and unified WBC, WBO and Ring junior bantamweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.

The influence of their style has trickled down and can be seen in how one of boxing's top prospects, Steven Navarro, fights.

The 21-year-old junior bantamweight will look to take the next step in his career Saturday when he faces Cristopher Rios in an eight-round bout at New York's Madison Square Garden Theater as part of the Xander Zayas-Jorge Garcia Perez undercard on ESPN.

"I've lived in the fire and we embrace it," Navarro told The Ring. "I'm just constantly doing that. I'm learning, embracing being a sponge and that's what we're doing in this sport. I'm constantly trying to fight the best, spar the best and I know where I want to be in the sport of boxing and slowly, step by step, being there.”

"Lomachenko is one of my favorites," Navarro added. "I'm going to try and steal his name, 'No Maschenko.'"

Navarro (6-0, 5 KOs) has made a rapid rise through the ranks with his ability to attack and use angles out of orthodox and southpaw stances. Rios (11-2, 7 KOs) represents Navarro's second eight-round encounter, just seven fights into his young professional career.

Navarro's first eight-round contest, a 4th-round stoppage against Juan Esteban Garcia (15-2-2, 12 KOs) on April 5 in Las Vegas, wasn't without adversity though.

Early in round four, a right uppercut and straight right hand sent Navarro reeling to the ropes. The momentum Garcia gained from that moment was short-lived, Navarro quickly seizing back control of the fight, battering Garcia to head and body for the duration of the round before referee Allen Higgins stopped the fight with 12 seconds to end the stanza.

With that victory, Navarro won the vacant NABF junior bantamweight title. The Los Angeles native has won four consecutive bouts inside the distance and hasn't boxed beyond that round during his existing streak.

"It's all about preparation," Navarro said. "It's a matter of being conditioned. I think that played a big role mentally and physically, and it's just a matter of staying composed and slowing down the momentum - that's what we did in the last fight. I am happy that I shared that experience with him [Garcia]."

A key part of what prepared Navarro for the intense moment encountered against Garcia is who he's shared the ring with during sparring partners. In his still extremely young career, he has sparred with three of the sport's pound-for-pound best fighters.

Bam (22-0, 15 KOs) just added the WBO strap to his Ring and WBC title collection at the weekend, while undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs) and unified IBF/WBC/Ring bantamweight titleholder Junto Nakatani (31-0, 24 KOs).

Coupled with that fearsome trio, he's also shared rounds with former four-division champion Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez (52-4, 42 KOs).

"It's surreal," Navarro said of sparring them. "It all depends on the mindset of the fighter, whether it's pound-for-pound world champions like them or a green fighter, it's what you take in from it. That's what I'm constantly doing, it builds your confidence, showed me what level I was on and what I want to beat."

Thus far, Navarro has passed every test with flying colors. However, the speed at which Top Rank plan to move him going forward remains to be seen. Regardless, the youngster is ready for whatever direction they take as long as he continues getting his hand raised.

"A lot of people are saying I'm on the fast track, but I am on track," Navarro said. "It's just a matter of my performance, and each and every fight I've performed. If Top Rank, my team and I believe my next fight should be for a world title, I'm going to rise to the occasion and I'll make that happen. It's all about the mindset and the dedication one goes through."