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O’Shaquie Foster gained his revenge on Saturday night, doing just enough at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York, to eke out a split decision victory over Robson Conceicao and regaining the WBC junior lightweight belt that he had dropped to him via controversial decision in July.
While that first fight generated outrage, with many observers feeling Foster was a clear winner, this felt throughout like a much closer contest, and none of the scorecards – 115-113 twice for Foster, and the same score for Conceicao – were off the mark. The rematch was also a better fight, with both men keen to do more to leave the outcome less in doubt.
Criticized for his inactivity in the first fight, Foster, 23-3 (12 KOs), came out more aggressively at the start of Round 1, as he sought to push the pace early. But Conceicao was ready for him and dug to Foster’s body as his high guard blocked many of Foster’s punches.
By Round 3, Conceicao, 19-3-1 (9 KOs), was the one dictating the pace, working behind a busy, stiff jab to the chest and face, as both men sought to find a home for a sweeping right hand.
A nice series of left-rights from Conceicao caught Foster’s attention in the fourth, although Foster responded to a 1-2 from Conceicao with a sharp left hook counter. The Brazilian appeared to be in control through four, but by the fifth, Foster appeared to be more successfully judging his timing and distance, rolling and countering as Conceicao sought to land straight right hands.
If it wasn’t necessarily the most explosive or exciting of contests, it was turning into an entertaining and intriguing one, with both men combining determined offense with first-rate defense. By Round 7, the momentum appeared to be shifting toward Foster, who was walking Conceicao down, even as Conceicao sought to keep him on the back foot with stiff jabs and strong, straight right hands.
Almost every round appeared close, however, with the eighth a perfect microcosm: Foster dominated the first half as Conceicao began to look tired, but then his punch output dropped enough over the final 90 seconds for Conceicao to firmly work his way back into it.
Much as Foster appeared to be the one with greater energy now, he was giving Conceicao openings by just trying to walk him down without working behind a jab. Even so, Conceicao was clearly tiring, his hands no longer in a high guard but low by his waist as he relied on upper-body movement for his defense.
The single best punch of the night came in the 10th, a short Foster right hand landing on the side of Conceicao’s jaw and clearly staggering him. But Foster was unable to find the opportunity to press the advantage, and Conceicao recovered.
The championship rounds saw both men looking to overcome their fatigue, with Conceicao doing all he could to smother Foster, and Foster trying to find space in which to operate. Conceicao let it all hang out in the closing stages, but he only had the strength now to throw arm punches with little snap behind them.
“I’m happy because I know what I did in the ring today. I know I did a good job,” said Conceicao afterward. “For me, he’s a good fighter, and I can’t speak poorly of him. But I know I did a good job today in the ring.
“I thought I had him for a moment,” said Foster. “He’s a veteran. He’s been around the game a long time and he knows how to survive.”
Conceicao said that, after he gave Foster a rematch, he hoped Foster would return the favor. But the American’s thoughts are already elsewhere.
“I want the winner of Emanuel Navarrete-Oscar Valdez,” Foster said.
Kieran Mulvaney has written, broadcast and podcasted about boxing for HBO, Showtime, ESPN and Reuters, among other outlets. He also writes regularly for National Geographic, has written several books on the Arctic and Antarctic, and is at his happiest hanging out with wild polar bears. His website is www.kieranmulvaney.com.