Foster Robbed of WBC Belt in Newark

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.

Orange Native O'shaquie Foster Retains Title Outpoints Abraham Nova at The Garden

O'Shanique Foster defends WBC Super Featherweight title against Abraham Nova SD12 round-by-round recap.

Round 1: Tentative first round, feeling out process. Both fighters start slow and look to get into a grove. Foster likely wins the battle of the jab 10-9 Foster

Round 2: Nova picks up the pace a little to start round two. Nova unleashes a few flurries and scores with some glancing combinations. Nova isn't landing all that clean, but he's out saying Foster and landing some shots. Foster looks a little hesitant not firing off in combinations. 10-9 Nova

Round 3: Foster turns southpaw and turns up the volume. The Texan lands with a flurry early in the round and begins backing Nova into the corner. Foster scored with a perfect counter left with about 20 seconds left in the round. 10-9 Foster

Round 4: Foster seemed to have figured a few things out and is scoring with the left from the southpaw stance. After a strong start from Foster  Nova scored with a looping right hand that caught the attention of the champion. The challenger followed you with another right hand that backed Foster into the ropes. A left hand came in that again shook shock 10-9 Nova. 

Round 5 Foster walked Nova back a bit with his jab. He scored with a nice clean 1-2 a minute into the round. After a brief clinch, Foster seemed to hurt his shoulder as he was shaking it off. Foster flickers a few jabs too, and is having success with landing the jab, but Nova was able to avoid most of the heavy artillery a nip and tuck round carried by Foster's Jab. 10-9 Foster.

Round 6: Foster switches back to the conventional stance. The injury is to his bicep and is affecting Foster's gameplan. The Texas tough champion immediately has success with a left hook scored with a 1-2 about 40 seconds in. He scored with a counter straight right that caught the attention of his opponent, but seconds later, Nova landed left hook of his own in another evenish round 10-9 Nova.

Round 7: Foster landed a flush left hook when Nova came charging in, but Nova reversed the tide and had Foster in the ropes.  Chants of Foster, Foster, Foster, raining in during the seventh!!!  He scored with a quick straight right. Not Having success with Foster in the ropes, another tough round to score! 10-9 Nova 

Round 8:  Foster starts quickly with a quick right uppercut on the inside followed by a flurry that drives the Puerto Rican back. Another left uppercut was scored moments later as the action really began to pick up. Foster and Nova exchange in the ropes late in the round  10-9 Foster.

Round 9: The pace begins to slow as perhaps Nova is fatiguing. A  nice right hand from Foster came in during the middle of the round and another drove Nova back. Foster followed up with a crisp left hook late in the round. A clean round for Foster, who scored with clean shots and was virtually untouched  10-9 Foster 

Round 10- Foster lands a three-piece to start the round. Foster gets the fight back into the long-range and has success with his jab. Nova is flurrying and trying to pick up the pace but Foster is just more accurate, landing clean shots Nova scored with a double right hand late in the stanza. Foster scored with a hook to the body and straight right to the hand in a very interesting round to score 10-9 Foster 

Round 11- Shock is sharp shooting with the right hand.  Nova had a nice flurry early in the round, that pushed the champion into the ropes. Nova really picked up the work rate with Foster against the ropes. Foster pivots out and lands with a barrage of power shots to steal the round back!!! A right hand caught the attention of the Puerto Rican. The Texan scored a left hook, and another right had Nova reeling for a moment. 10-9 Foster 

Round 12- Nova fatigued but trying his hardest to flurry. The challenger knows he needs to win the final round. Nova pushes the pace trying his hardest to flurry, and his landing glancing blows, but Foster is selecting nice counter shots that are landing clean. Nova pushes forward as Foster lands a few counter shots with accuracy. A late knockdown from a left hook with less than 30 seconds sealed the deal for  Foster and secured a two-point round for the champion.  10-8 Foster

Final score 116-111 Foster

Official Cards 114-113 Nova, 116-111 Foster, 115-112 Foster