O’Shaquie Foster remains to be salty about shedding his WBC tremendous featherweight title in opposition to #1 Robson Conceicao final Saturday evening by a twelve-round break up determination on the Prudential Middle in Newark, New Jersey.
Foster’s help afterward that he not solely deserved the choice however ought to have received each spherical suggests a disconnect from the fact of what occurred. He obtained outworked by Conceicao, and that’s why the judges gave it to the proficient Brazilian.
Conceicao Wished It Extra
After the battle, Conceicao mentioned Foster “didn’t come to battle” and was shifting and taking part in protection. He’s proper. Foster fought like a fighter who didn’t need to work onerous.
That’s his model, although, as a result of he barely pulled out victories in his final two fights by rallying late after getting labored over Abraham Nova and Eduardo Hernandez.
Foster solely works a part of the time throughout his fights as a result of he lacks the will to work onerous, and he paid for it in opposition to the formidable, well-schooled 2016 Olympic gold medalist Conceicao.
Unbelievably, Foster (22-3, 12 KOs) claimed after the battle that he’d pitched a shutout, profitable each spherical in his thoughts, and he felt that the judges had given him a uncooked deal by not giving him the victory.
The judges scored it 116-112, 115-113 for Conceicao, and 116-112 for Foster. My rating was 117-111 in favor of Conceicao.
I watched the battle on a big-screen TV and didn’t see any issues with how the 2 judges scored it in favor of Conceicao (19-2-1, 9 KOs). He was the busier fighter, throwing the pictures, pushing the assault, and protecting Foster pinned to the ropes.
Foster’s Shakur-Esque Model: Protection Over Offense
Foster fought together with his normal Shakur model, simply making an attempt to make Conceicao miss and solely hardly ever throwing a punch again. His whole sport was centered round his protection fairly than throwing punches, nevertheless it was pure Shakur-eque stuff from the champion Foster. You may’t win like that in opposition to a fighter, throwing extra and protecting you pinned in opposition to the ropes like Conceicao did.
Within the championship rounds, Foster ought to have gone all out and thrown some punches, however as a substitute, he stayed on the ropes, simply making an attempt to make Conceicao miss and journey his option to what he believed was a choice win.
It’s not a shock that Foster didn’t push onerous within the final 4 rounds as a result of if he thought he was pitching a shutout, why would he take probabilities and throw? He was deluded and overconfident. Somebody in his profession ought to have impressed upon him the significance of hard-on offense and getting off the ropes.
In the long run, Foster fought a silly battle, costing him his belt. He did the identical factor in his earlier match in opposition to Abraham Nova however pulled out a choice by scoring a knockdown.
Protection Doesn’t Win Fights
“He didn’t come to battle. He didn’t appear to essentially need to battle me. I actually needed to battle him, and I went after the victory, and that was it,” mentioned Conceicao to Fighthype about his win over Foster.
“O’Shaquie battle, I inform it to my fighters on a regular basis. Protection is one factor, and offense is the opposite,” mentioned coach Kenny Ellis to MillCity Boxing, speaking about final Saturday evening’s battle that noticed the proficient Robson Conceicao lastly get a good shake with the judges together with his twelve-round break up determination over the defensive-minded Shakur-esque WBC tremendous featherweight champion O’Shaquie Foster.
Ellis brings up an excellent level. Protection doesn’t win fights. Letting your arms go does, and Foster forgot that lesson. If you happen to’re lazy and assume you’ll be able to win fights simply on protection, you’re going to lose in the end, and it’s not occurred to Foster.
“Protection will provide you with an extended profession, however since you’re slipping, you’re going protection, and also you’re not scoring. That’s the protection. You’re shedding punches. Now and again, Foster would counter with one or two,” mentioned Ellis.
“He was doing the shoulder roll, however he wasn’t responding like Floyd. Floyd would make you miss and make you pay. Now and again, Foster would include one shot right here and there. The opposite man [Conceicao] was truly working, and then you definately don’t know what the judges had been from their angle.”
Foster was making an attempt to dam and transfer with the punches that did land from Conceicao. He wasn’t countering something, and he was driving with the pictures. When he would assault, it all the time temporary after which return to his shell.
I feel the followers who’re upset about Foster shedding had been his followers, and so they couldn’t see the reality even with it proper there in entrance of them.
A Lesson Discovered for Foster
They didn’t need to see the ugly actuality of their hero being uncovered by the harder-working Brazilian Conceicao, who realized early on that success comes from onerous work. You don’t grasp again and anticipate the win to be given to you on a silver platter.
“O’Shaquie is on the ropes, and the [judges] are his [Conceicao] again [throwing punches and being busier]. Despite the fact that he was lacking some pictures, they thought he was touchdown. Protection is an efficient factor, however arms win fights. He [O’Shaquie] wasn’t busy sufficient final evening,” mentioned Ellis.
Conceicao landed loads of pictures, particularly the right-hand punches he threw at Foster. These had been getting via continually, and he was all the time on the assault. Conceicao wasn’t backing up in opposition to the ropes to relaxation and play possum like Foster.
“You return and watch the battle. Yeah, he was making him miss loads of instances. ‘Oh, have a look at what I did.’ You’re not profitable. You’re simply making the person miss. Come again and make him miss and make him pay. He wasn’t doing that. He was doing it in spurts final evening. That was it. He wasn’t busy sufficient.
“Protection is a gorgeous factor, however you’re not profitable since you make a person miss. You’re not profitable. Arms win fights. He was clean on his ft. He was making him miss, however he wasn’t countering again with nothing. I feel they made the correct name,” mentioned Ellis, believing that the judges did the correct factor by giving the win to Conceicao.
It’s nice to have protection, however when that’s all you’ve, it received’t be sufficient for those who’re combating an excellent opponent and high quality judges are working the battle. A set of three lesser judges may need given Foster a choice final Saturday, however not these three sensible officers.
“His protection was proper, however he wasn’t coming again with something. I didn’t see now shut-out. It was in spurts,” mentioned Ellis, reacting to being informed that Foster had mentioned after the battle that he felt he had pitched a shutout of Conceicao.
Foster’s whole sport concerned him combating in spurts, being lazy, and letting Conceicao do all of the onerous work.
If Foster’s coach wasn’t giving him a heads-up about how dire his state of affairs was, he must dump that particular person and discover somebody who understands the circulate of a battle and may inform his fighter the bitter reality, even when they’re deluded into considering they’re profitable by a shutout.
Soiled sport. One of many best fights of my life we will probably be doing every part potential to make this proper. However I’ll inform yall this within the rematch he not making it to 12 promise you that!!
— S H⚡️C Ok (@OshaquieFoster) July 7, 2024
