Robson Conceicao defends his WBC super featherweight title against former champion O’Shaquie Foster in a 12-round rematch this Saturday, November 2nd, at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
If Foster wants to regain his belt, he’s going to have to be a lot busier because he was outworked in every round of the fight by Conceicao, who was always on the attack, dominating.
Foster occasionally threw single potshots but then returned to his shell for long durations and tried to block punches. While Foster would look good when he’d land his single punches, it was impossible to ignore how many shots Conceicao was hitting him with. He was like a total wave, crashing over Foster, who was overwhelmed.
The people who saw Foster win seemed to have tunnel vision, focusing on his rare punches and ignoring how he was getting riddled with shots from the harder-punching, much busier Conceicao.
We’d seen the same Shakur-esque style from Foster in his previous fight against Abraham Nova earlier this year on Februrary 16th at Madison Square Garden in New York. The judges gave Foster a 12-round split decision despite Nova having outworked him the entire fight. Foster didn’t learn his lesson from that fight; hence, he was beaten by Conceicao.
That lazy minimalist approach doesn’t work at the pro level. It may have worked for Foster when he was an amateur, but fighters have to work hard in the pros. They can’t let their opponents do all the punching and then hope the judges will give them the decision based on four or five shots landed in the round.
The event will be shown live on ESPN+, starting at 5:50 p.m. ET.
The WBC ordered the rematch due to the cry from Foster (22-3, 12 KOs) about Conceicao’s 12-round split decision win earlier this year on July 6th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. They felt that Foster, 31, had been robbed of a victory by the judges.
Foster’s minimalist approach to fighting, choosing to throw occasional punches is why the judges gave the victory to the Challenger Conceicao (19-2-1, 9 KOs). It’s hard for judges to give a fighter a decision win when they’re not working, and their opponent is attacking nonstop with punches, as Conceicao was doing. Foster was fighting a lot like Shakur Stevenson, who headlined in that card against Artem Harutyunyan.
Undercard fights:
Jahi Tucker vs. Quilisto Madera
Raymond Muratalla vs. Jesus Perez
Abraham Nova vs. Humberto Galindo
Damian Knyba vs. Richard Lartey
“If you’re the champion, you have to show why you’re the champion,” said Conceicao. “You have to assert yourself and try to knock your opponent out. You’re not supposed to run the entire time. You’re not supposed to throw single shots.”
“Now, he has another opportunity. But I’m the champion now. I will show why I’m the champion. I will assert myself and go for the knockout. I’m coming to hit him hard and often.”
