Champion O’Shaquie Foster wins again in title defense
Published 5:25 am Saturday, February 17, 2024
- Manager Sha-Keith Mills sits with O'Shaquie "Shock" Foster during the champion’s Orange parade in 2023. (Randy Strong/Special to the Orange Leader)
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The man who told Orange Newsmedia he wanted to put Orange, Texas, on the boxing map delivered another sterling performance in pursuit of that honor.
Friday night at The Theater in Madison Square Garden in New York City, O’Shaquie Foster defeated Abraham Nova.
The victory allows the growing Orange star to retain his WBC junior lightweight title.
O’Shaquie “Shock” Foster holds his WBC championship belt inside Golden Chick in Orange, which is where he hosted a back-to-school supply drive last summer. (Stephen Hemelt/The Leader)
Foster accomplished the task with a split-decision victory.
Foster was scored wins by judges with scores of 115-112 and 116-111, which overruled one judge who scored the fight 114-113 in favor of Nova.
“The champion scored a 12th-round knockdown to seal the victory, connecting with a counter left hand with less than 25 seconds remaining in the fight,” a report from ESPN.com detailed.
ESPN ranks Foster the No. 2 boxer at 130 pounds.
The loss drops Nova’s record to 23-2, with 16 KOs.
The victory improves Foster’s mark to 22-2, with 12 KOs.
Foster could now look to unify the junior lightweight division. Following Friday’s win, potential bouts with fellow titleholder Lamont Roach and showdowns with Liam Wilson and Oscar Valdez were mentioned.
It was only in August of last year, when Foster told Orange Newsmedia: “I dream big. I see myself being a multi-division champion. I see myself being a superstar in the next two years and being able to take over the sport, being in the pound-for-pound race. I’ve made history in the city, and I need to make it for the city.”
He is 2-0 in title fights since then. Anyone who doesn’t believe him is either not reading or not watching.
