O’Shaquie Foster stepped into the ring for the biggest fight of his career, and he made it count.
Foster outclassed an always-tough Emanuel Navarrete over 12 rounds to unify a trio of super featherweight world titles on Saturday night in San Antonio, scoring a pair of 12th round knockdowns to seal the deal in hugely impressive fashion.
Foster (26-3, 12 KO) came in with the WBC title at 130 lbs, and has added the IBF and WBO titles with tonight’s victory. He says he’ll have an eye on the Anthony Cacace vs Nick Ball WBA title fight in December, but is aware that he likely will have to make a mandatory defense against Charly Suarez first.
Navarrete vs Foster score cards
Judges scored the fight 115-111, 118-108, and 118-108 for Foster.
Bad Left Hook unofficially score the fight 118-108 and 118-108 for Foster, as well.
“I knew he was going to be strong and awkward. He’s a great champion, I just had a little bit more in me tonight,” Foster said after the bout. “I felt like I was the better inside fighter and outside fighter. But hats off to him. I knew I was levels above him, I just wanted to prove it. He can punch, but I’ve got a chin. I’m strong. He’s a great champion.”
Navarrete (40-3-1, 33 KO) fought his heart out as usual, but he was just a step or two behind Foster pretty much from the jump. It’s an incredible new chapter for Foster, whose boxing career seemed set to stall out at the ShoBox level a decade ago, but he is instead now arguably a top 10 pound-for-pound fighter, and the argument is good.
Foster also was asked about Shakur Stevenson, whom he’s called out in the past, but said he now has his sights firmly set on going undisputed first, something that has never been done at 130 lbs in the four-belt era.