"Ice Water" O'Shaquie Foster has a backstory that reads like a Hollywood script. From touted blue-chip prospect to two ShoBox losses in eight months to splitting with his promoter to a prison sentence. To resurgence and then, ultimate redemption and winning a world title against Rey Vargas, a former two-division world champ, in his home state. Foster may be the best 130-pounder in the world, and he most likely is. Those skills, reflexes, and ring IQ were on full display in Alamo City. As the 29-year-old, Orange native dominated from start to finish. Foster boxed brilliantly throughout the 12-round affair. Dominating the opening with just a jab. Dictating the pace, and getting in position to land while avoiding Vargas's heavy artillery. The opening few rounds were the same story Foster, the quicker sharper fighter would land in short combinations and Vargas would swing at air. Controlling the action early, the Texan began getting a bit more aggressive and started firing with right hands that started landing with laser-like precision, one in particular, staggered the former world champ at the end of the second round. Hitting and not getting hit, Foster remained in control throughout most of the middle rounds. However, Vargas began battling back and had his best moment in the ninth with a straight right that landed about midway through the round. The moment was short-lived as Ice Water seized control of the fight again scoring with left hooks in the final minute of the 10th that completely halted the temporary momentum put together by Vargas. Foster remained in control and the Hollywood script was completed. Foster Captured the vacant WBC title and responded by saying, “Man, it feels great. Man, this journey been crazy.” The final tallies were 119-109,117-111, and 116-112, all for the East Texan.
In the co-main event was the comeback of one of San Antonio's favorite sons, "El Azteca" Mario Barrios. Barrios became the first of the current crop of Alamo Citr fighters to capture a world title which he did back in 2019 when he outpointed Batyr Akhmedov. Barrios bounced back nicely off of his two-fight losing streak and secured his first win since Halloween 2021 when he stopped Milan, Texas native Ryan Karl, also in the Alamodome.
A new look Barrios sported a Misfits tattoo and a new trainer in Bob Santos, and the new, more offensive and aggressive Barrios was on display immediately against Jovanie Santiago. As Barrios was applying pressure, jabbing, and firing off right hands backing his opponent up. He would then fire off a barrage of body shots that began taking its toll. By the sixth round, it became abundantly clear that Santiago was a sitting duck and not going to get through the 10-round affair. The beatdown continued into the seventh as Santiago was showing effects from the culmination of power shots and began backing down. Barrios jumped on his wounded opponent like a dog on fear. Santiago finally went down a minute into the eighth after getting hit by a left hook to the body. Santiago, tough as nails, was able to get up and continue. However, El Azteca slammed on the gas and unleashed another flurry of shots as the referee waved off the bout giving Barrios his first win in over two years and putting him back on track to regaining a world title and becoming a two-division world champion. Barrios moved to 6-0 (5) in his home city and 10-0 overall in the Lone Star State.
In a preliminary bout, our number one prospect to watch in 2023 kicked the new year off in spectacular fashion! "The Unkown Warrior" Fabian Diaz of Edinburg scored his second consecutive first-round KO moving his record to 4-0 (2). Diaz spent the opening moments of the fight working behind a snappy jab and looking to set up his power shots, the right hand in particular. Just past the one-minute mark, Diaz landed a right uppercut that staggered his opponent Eleazar Mendietta. Diaz then scored with a right hand to the body that hurt his opponent. The instructions flew in from the Rio Grande Valley native's corner that, "He's done!... Knock him out." The Unknown warrior obliged and scored with a barrage of power shots. Scoring with one overhand right after another and putting in a left hook here and there just for good measure. With just under a minute to go in the opening round Diaz wound up on a right hand that sent Mendietta reeling across the ring. The Unkown Warrior kept on the gas and kept on firing until the referee came in and called a halt to the bout after a perfectly placed uppercut from the RGV native about took his head off.