WBC Special Preview: Foster Vs. Nova
WBC STATISTICS
WBC Super Featherweight World Championship
February 16, 2024 / New York, New York / The Theater at Madison Square Garden
TOP RANK PRESENTS:
O’SHAQUIE “Ice Water” FOSTER (USA)
· WBC Super Featherweight World Champion, 2nd Title Defense
Age: 30 / Date of birth: September 17, 1993
Residence: Houston, Texas / Birthplace: Orange, Texas
Record: 21-2, 12 KOs / Total rounds: 134 / World championship fights: 2-0, 1 KO
Height: 5’6” – 168cm / Reach: 71.5” – 181 cm / Stance: Right-handed
Manager: Keith Mills / Trainer: Bobby Benton
ABRAHAM “Super” NOVA (Puerto Rico / USA)
Age: 30 / Date of birth: January 14, 1994
Residence: Albany, New York / Birthplace: Carolina, Puerto Rico
Record: 23-1, 16 KOs / Total rounds: 112
Height: 5’9” – 175cm / Reach: 72” – 183cm / Stance: Right-handed
Manager: Self-managed / Trainer: Mark DeLuca
WBC SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS
1. Gabriel Elorde (Phil) 1963 – 1967
2. Yoshiaki Numata (Jap) 1967
3. Hiroshi Kobayashi (Japan) 1967 – 1968
4. Rene Barrientos (Phil) 1969 – 1970
5. Yoshiaki Numata (Japan) * 1970 – 1971
6. Ricardo Arredondo (Mex) 1971 – 1974
7. Kuniaki Shibata (Jap) 1974 – 1975
8. Alfredo Escalera (P. Rico) 1975 – 1978
9. Alexis Arguello (Nic) 1978 – 1980
10. Rafael Limon (Mex) 1980 – 1981
11. Cornelius Boza-Edwards (Uganda) 1981
12. Rolando Navarrete (Phil) 1981 – 1982
13. Rafael Limon (Mex) * 1982
14. Bobby Chacon (US) 1982 – 1983
15. Hector Camacho (P. Rico) 1983
16. Julio Cesar Chavez (Mex) 1984 – 1987
17. Azumah Nelson (Ghana) 1988 – 1994
18. James Leija (US) 1994
19. Gabriel Ruelas (Mex) 1994 – 1995
20. Azumah Nelson (Ghana) * 1995 – 1997
21. Genaro Hernandez (US) 1997 – 1998
22. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US) 1998 – 2001
23. Sirimongkol Singmanassuk (Thai) 2002 – 2003
24. Jesus Chavez (Mexico) 2003 – 2004
25. Erik Morales (Mexico) 2004
26. Marco Antonio Barrera (Mexico) 2004 – 2007
27. Juan Manuel Marquez (Mexico) 2007 – 2008
28. Manny Pacquiao (Philippines) 2008
29. Humberto Soto (Mexico) 2008 – 2009
30. Humberto Mauro Gutierrez (Mex, Interim) 2009
31. Vitaly Tajbert (Germany) 2009 – 2010
32. Takahiro Aoh (Japan) 2010 – 2012
33. Gamaliel Diaz (Mexico) 2012 – 2013
34. Takashi Miura (Japan) 2013 – 2015
35. Francisco Vargas (Mexico) 2015 – 2017
36. Miguel Berchelt (Mexico) 2017 – 2021
37. Oscar Valdez (Mexico) 2021 – 2022
38. Shakur Stevenson (US) 2022
39. O’Shaquie Foster (US) 2023 –
* Regained
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION IN WBC HISTORY
36 world champions have been recognized by the WBC, three of whom regained the title: Yoshiaki Numata (Japan), Rafael Limon (Mexico), Azumah Nelson (Ghana).
142 super featherweight world championship fights have been held in WBC history.
MEMORABLE WBC SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS:
Oct. 28, 2023 O’Shaquie Foster TKO12 Eduardo Hernandez – Cancun, Quintana Roo
Feb. 11, 2023 O’Shaquie Foster W12 Rey Vargas – San Antonio, Texas
Apr. 30, 2022 Shakur Stevenson W12 Oscar Valdez – Las Vegas, Nevada
Sept. 10, 2021 Oscar Valdez W12 Robson Conceicao – Tucson, Arizona
Feb. 20, 2021 Oscar Valdez KO10 Miguel Berchelt – Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov. 2, 2019 Miguel Berchelt KO4 Jason Sosa – Carson, California
Nov. 3, 2018 Miguel Berchelt TKO9 Miguel “Mickey” Roman – El Paso, Texas
Jan. 29, 2017 Miguel Berchelt KO11 Francisco Vargas – Indio, California
June 4, 2016 Francisco Vargas D12 Orlando Salido – Carson, California
Nov. 21, 2015 Francisco Vargas TKO9 Takashi Miura – Las Vegas, Nevada
Mar. 15, 2008 Manny Pacquiao W12 Juan Manuel Marquez – Las Vegas, Nevada
Mar. 17, 2007 Juan Manuel Marquez W12 Marco Antonio Barrera – Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov. 27, 2004 Marcos Antonio Barrera W12 Erik Morales – Las Vegas, Nevada
Oct. 3, 1998 Floyd Mayweather Jr. TKO8 Genaro Hernandez – Las Vegas, Nevada
Mar. 22, 1997 Genaro Hernandez W12 Azumah Nelson – Corpus Christi, Texas
Oct. 13, 1990 Azumah Nelson W12 Juan LaPorte – Sydney, Australia
Sep. 13, 1984 Julio Cesar Chavez TKO8 Mario Martinez – Los Angeles, California
Aug. 7, 1983 Hector Camacho TKO5 Rafael Limon – San Juan, Puerto Rico
May 30, 1981 Cornelius Boza-Edwards TKO13 Bobby Chacon – Las Vegas, Nevada
Jan. 28 1978 Alexis Arguello TKO13 Alfredo Escalera – Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Dec. 14, 1967 Hiroshi Kobayshi KO12 Yoshiaki Numata – Kokugjikan, Japan
Feb. 16, 1963 Flash Elorde W15 Johnny Bizarro – Manila, Philippines
Test of a Champion and a Challenger
By James Blears
Doctor Foster went to Gloucester in a shower of rain, he stepped in a puddle right up to his middle and never went there again!
The childrens’ nursery rhyme very much seems to apply to namesake O’Shaquie Foster. No bluster! This is no kids’ play! He had to muster all of his defensive skills, resolve, firepower and true grit to fend off a ferocious and sustained onslaught by heavy hitting Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez, who dominated three quarter of their fight in Cancun and was well ahead on two of the Judges’ scorecards, coming into the final home stretch.
O’Shaquie nicknamed “Ice Water” was really up against it, up against the ropes and shipping terrific punishment. It was then and there that he showed the spirit of a true champion, digging deep, then deeper, delving into the inner recesses of his resolve to turn the tables and land thudding, pinpoint blows to turn the riptide swirling over and around him. Indeed there was ice water flowing through his veins.
In round eleven he badly hurt tiring Rocky and had him in real trouble. But the challenger who was buckling, refused to fold. He somehow rallied to fight back magnificiently and drive “Doc” to the ropes, with swings which almost achieved a roundabout. The Mexican fans were on their feet in a frenzy of anticipation, cheering Rocky on, willing him to triumph, with every fiber of their being: “Rocky, Rocky, Rocky!”
It was absolutely thrilling! Spine tingling. The few remaining hairs on the back of my neck were standing up!
For me undoubtedly Round of the Year! Both men were edging towards the brink of exhaustion…shadow land! They were fighting flat out on sheer instinct, with nothing held back in reserve, fueled by pure undistilled, undiluted desire. It was hard to hear the bell in all of the pandemonium din.
Rocky only had to stay on his feet to win the decision. Time to conserve and to be conservative? None of it! Boxing isn’t his chess!
O’Shaquie summoned one final titanic surge and dropped Rocky. What happened next sets boxers apart from mere mortals. The so brave young man refused to give in. He got up! He was badly hurt and on his way out. He had stubbornly refused to play safe, box or evade. It’s simply not in his boxing DNA. In spite of the fervent pleadings and sage advice of his corner, in the minute of respite prior to that final bell fatefully tolling, he went for it, true to his nature and his nickname.
All or nothing and… he ended up empty handed. Foster was never going to let his man off the hook. He rounded on Rocky, who he pummeling him from pillar to post. Referee Hector Afu had seen enough. He stepped in to save Rocky, who was now helpless.
Cancun Boxing’s Pepe Gomez, who was naturally, obviously and visibly disappointed swallowed the heartache. Tears were welling up in many peoples’ eyes. So near, yet so far. Ten years ago Sergio “Yeyo” Thompson had got up from two knockowns, inflicted his own, but still lost a UD to the formidable champion Takashi Miura in Cancun.
With leaden steps, Pepe plodded over to O’Shaque, unlit cigar in one hand, with the other raised the fighter’s hand in magnanimous sporting congratulation. As Jack Kennedy once said: “To be a good winner you have to be a gentleman, and to be a good loser…you have to be a man!
The fans who had witnessed greatness, cheered a worthy champion, who’d pulled it out of the fire. A phoenix victory. If Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez has weathered just twenty two more seconds, he would have been the champion of the world. It was not to be on this particular occassion. Pure drama. THIS is what makes Boxing so extraordinarily great!
Foster (21-2, 12 KO’S) must be admired. He had been mired right up to his middle in the deepest puddle, but he’d waded out by wading in. I’m sure he never wants to get himself into such deep water ever again!
The question which remains unanswered, is exactly what that titanic effort and firestorm ordeal has taken out of O’Shaquie Foster and will it impact upon and affect his next defense against Abraham Nova at Madison Square Garden Theater…Boxing’s Cathedral, on February 16th?!
O’Shaquie won the title from lanky, tough, smart and wily Rey Vargas. Rey’s surge from super bantamweight, to featherweight Green and Gold glory, then trying for super featherweight plaudits, fluttered, faltered and failed on that night. Foster was soaring supreme, outfighting, outboxing and outsmarting him. The man from Orange, Texas was reaching up for the golden orb of the sun and he grasped it. But… the next fight against Rocky was a whole different kettle of fish, and he only just managed to pull it out of the searing fire, befitting his nickname of “Ice Water” via nerves of steel.
So, two days after Valentine’s Day, in his second defense, he faces Abraham “El Super” Nova (23-1 16 KO’S), the Man With the Golden Beard. In a recent interview Puerto Rico born Abraham, of Dominican parents, Abraham is based in Albany New York said: “I’m super prepared . This is my time. It’s long overdue. It’s been my biggest dream since I was a kid.”
Yet, his time could have come sooner, had it not been for a significant blunder. He’d become WBA-NABA champion in 2018, defeating Sulaiman Segawa by UD. But his biggest challenge and a milestone opportunity prior to this one, came against former double Olympic Champion Cuban southpaw Robeisy Ramirez, who later on went on to become WBO champion.
Disaster struck Abraham right down the middle like a bolt from the blue in round five when his talented opponent slammed him with a straight left to the chin and he was poleaxed, dropped to the canvass. Abraham was barely conscious and Referee Charley Fitch had no hesitation. He waved off the fight there and then. It was back to the drawing board. At this rarefied level, the first significant mistake often tends to be the last in a contest.
Boxing at the highest level proves singularly unforgiving. For this fight, Abraham had gone from super featherweight to featherweight. Large of frame, it hadn’t been easy to slim down, to a weight which naturally isn’t his.
Since then Abraham who’s gone back to his natural super feather division, has bounced back with a UD over Adam Lopez via UD. He dropped Adam in rounds five and six. Then a third round KO of Jonathan Romero. Madison Square Garden Theater is the Cathedral of Boxing. It’s only down the road from where Abraham is based.
The momentum of the upcoming occasion isn’t lost on O’Shaque who says: “It’s always been my dream to fight at Madison Square Garden. It’s so special to me to be part of history in a legendary place. I’m ready to put on a show and to keep proving that I’m the best in the world.”
Of late, O’Shaquie hasn’t been the busiest of fighters. Only three fights in as many years. Earlier in his career he lost to Samuel Teah via UD. And then to Rolando Chinea via SD. But he hasn’t been defeated since 2016. He moved to Houston, focused and with the guidance of Coach Bobby Benton, his career took off and went into orbit.
Abraham, a road warrior has fought in Mexico, Belgium, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay. Now he’s fighting close to his adopted home, almost on his very own back door step. It’s now or never and he knows it!
He’s up against a gifted boxer who can punch when the chips are down, the occasion demands it and he is ready to defend his Green and Gold laurels. Abraham confidently states: “My team and I have prepared for this opportunity. No fear, no doubt.”
Top Rank Mogul Bob Arum says: “Foster wants to prove he’s the best in this division and he’ll have the opportunity to make a statement against a powerful and determined challenger. I look forward to another great fight night at The Theater Madison Square Garden.
So do we!
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