PHOTO CREDIT: David Algranati Ther Fight Photo
O'Shaquie Foster of Orange, Texas seemed to dominate a ho-hum one-sided affair with Brazilian contender Robson Conceicao. Foster outlanded the challenger in 10 of the 12 rounds limited Conceicao to landing just 11% of his punches and seemed to frustrate and dominate him over 12 one-sided rounds. He also outlanded Conceciao 109-76. The judges in egregious fashion somehow disagreed with the entire boxing universe and two of the judges scored for Conceicao. Tony Lundy handed in a criminal 116-112 card in favor of Canceicao and Paul Wallace handed in a nearly equally as bad 115-113 for the challenger. Ron McNair scored a still much-to-close 116-112 for the East Texan. The reaction was outrage and disbelief. The ESPN commentator Tim Bradley was taken off the air and could be heard screaming "This is Ridiculous", Mark Kreigal scored about 119-110, and Texas Boxing Scene scored 118-110 in favor of Foster. There was seemingly no single person in the Prudential Center who thought the fight was close. In his post-fight interview, Shakur Stevenson noted the robbery, and former 140-pound world champion Regis Prograis said "He (Foster) won every single round" That was the feel around the arena. The fight itself starts cautiously in the first two rounds but looks sharp behind a jab and superior lateral movement. The fans didn't love the action but Foster made a wild and undisciplined Conceicao miss over and over again while staying composed and scoring with precise counterpunches. Through the first half of the fight, the Orange native was in complete control doing exactly what he needed to do and scoring with pinpoint accurate counter shots that appeared to be carrying the rounds. Foster never really had to change things up in the second half of the scrap, as Conceicao kept bringing the action and Foster continued to make him miss and countered him with terrific accuracy and precision. Foster won the WBC title in 2023 by outpointing Rey Vargas in the Alamodome and successfully defended it twice, before having the belt stolen from him in Newark on Saturday night. A very emotional Foster discussed the verdict after the bell "I thought it was a shutout. I thought it was an easy fight. I didn't get touched but with a headbutt. I don't know, man. They stole this fight from me." The boxing community has expressed similar sentiments.