With the phrases “ice water” and “shock the world” etched on his trunks, O’Shaquie Foster produced the struggle of his life, coolly and methodically out-boxing two-division world champion Rey Vargas to seize the vacant WBC Tremendous Featherweight World Championship in his first title shot dwell on SHOWTIME Saturday, February 11 from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas in a Premier Boxing Champions occasion. Foster, who usually switches to southpaw in his fights, fought orthodox for the whole 12 rounds with the target of befuddling Vargas, as he gained by scores of 116-112, 117-111 and 119-109 in a dominant, albeit very aggressive win.
“I can’t put it into phrases (what this implies),” Foster stated within the ring afterward. “I do know my mother, my uncle, my grandpa, they’re all trying down on me.”
Foster, a veteran of 4 SHOBOX: The New Technology bouts®, has overcome numerous hardships in his life, together with the loss of life of his mom to most cancers when he was 12. He misplaced a choice in simply his ninth struggle on SHOBOX and dropped a break up choice three fights later. However Foster fought confidently and relentlessly on Saturday, as if he was the undefeated fighter getting into the struggle, peppering Vargas with jabs and out-working him within the later rounds. With the win, Foster grew to become the 88th SHOBOX alum to win a world title.
Based on CompuBox, Foster threw 101 extra punches than Vargas and landed 43 extra pictures (22 extra jabs and 21 extra energy punches). Within the championship rounds, with Foster’s coach Bobby Benton asking him to shut the present, Foster out-landed Vargas 32-10 to safe victory.
“It feels nice,” Foster went on. “Dedication, laborious work. I’ve an ideal crew round me. Getting away from the distractions and making ready myself mentally and bodily. My preparation was crucial. I noticed loads of tape. I threw combos. I knew that he counter reacted to earlier opponents. I attempted to change up my method.
“My coaches saved telling me to choose it up, we’re able to go. We are able to’t get them out, however I felt good within the later rounds. I simply needed to ensure it wasn’t an in depth struggle. I didn’t suppose it was shut. My coaches saved telling me to not let off the fuel. I’d like to unify [the division]. I’ll face anyone.“
Vargas, who disputed the choice, indicated that he’ll drop again down and marketing campaign at 126 kilos, the place he nonetheless holds the WBC belt. “We didn’t get the choice at tremendous featherweight,” Vargas stated, “however we’re nonetheless champions at 126.“
Foster, who has fought at 130 kilos or heavier for many of his profession, surprised Vargas with a left a minute into the eleventh, as swelling beneath Vargas’ eyes was evident. Vargas landed a three-punch mixture halfway by way of the ninth as he started to struggle with desperation. However Foster answered with a brief proper hand that appeared to buzz Vargas.
Vargas sustained a small reduce over his left eye after Foster landed a handy guide a rough proper hand and the 2 clashed heads moments later with a minute left within the third. Foster caught Vargas with a jab to the physique to start out the second that brought on Vargas to fall to the canvas, however the referee dominated it a slip as Foster stepped on Vargas’ foot in the course of the sequence.
“I respect the judges,” Vargas stated within the ring. “I believe this choice was not honest. I don’t agree with it, however I’ve to respect it. I assumed it was a lot nearer than they noticed. The burden distinction might have affected me tonight. In boxing, you should use your legs to be technical or use them to run. Foster used them to run. He ran all evening.
“There was a headbutt originally of the struggle that affected my sight for a second, however I recovered rapidly. I thank all of the followers that got here out to assist me.”
Vargas fought with out a acquainted face in his nook as legendary coach Nacho Baristain was absent for this project as Vargas’ father Carlos took his place. He was making an attempt to affix different legendary fighters who’ve gained titles at 122, 126, and 130, which embrace Manny Pacquiao, Leo Santa Cruz, and Mexican legends Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera.
Vargas was returning to the Alamodome after profitable the WBC featherweight championship in his final bout with a choice victory over Mark Magsayo on the similar venue on SHOWTIME final July.
Former champion and San Antonio-native Mario “El Azteca” Barrios snapped his two-fight dropping streak with a razor sharp, career-rejuvenating efficiency towards Jovanie Santiago in Saturday’s co-feature. Barrios dropped Santiago within the eighth spherical with a left to the physique and adopted up, inflicting referee Mark Calo-Oy, upon the request of Santiago’s nook, to cease the struggle at 1:42 of the eighth of their welterweight contest scheduled for 10 rounds. Barrios led 70-63 on all three judges’ scorecards on the time of the stoppage.
After Santiago (14-3-1, 10 KOs) touched the canvas for the fourth time of his profession from the physique shot, Barrios, who’s again with high coach Bob Santos, adopted up with a straight proper hand that snapped Santiago’s head again, inflicting his nook to step in. After dropping his final two fights to high skills Gervonta Davis and Keith Thurman, Barrios (27-2, 18 KOs) had his means with Santiago, who was additionally coming off back-to-back losses to Adrien Broner and Gary Antuanne Russell.
The CompuBox stats backed up Barrios’ dominance. The 27-year-old landed 90 extra punches than the gutty Santiago, who really out-threw Barrios by a single punch. Barrios landed 39 extra jabs, 51 extra energy punches and appeared super-charged all through the struggle, buoyed from the hometown crowd and his personal need to get again into the win column.
He harm Santiago with a proper hand a minute into the sixth spherical, inflicting Santiago to briefly sag into the ropes. Barrios surprised Santiago once more with a left to the physique and head moments later as Santiago appeared battered, his proper eye badly swelling. Barrios landed a lunging left hook to finish the sixth as Santiago one way or the other remained on his toes.
“It feels wonderful,” Barrios stated afterward. “It took me some time to get into that groove, to get that rhythm. I felt nice. I wouldn’t say I used to be completely different [tonight], however positively with a bigger arsenal. I’m fairly grateful to have Bob [Santos] in my nook and my sister. I needed to get simply as bodily. That’s one other factor we’ve been engaged on within the fitness center. I knew Santiago was coming with it. And he took the struggle in my yard. That claims lots about him. He’s a hell of a warrior, I tip my hat to him.