NEWARK, NJ — Nobody anticipated it. However someway it occurred. Everybody that crammed the Prudential Heart on Saturday night time was extra happy that the 36-minute tranquilizer was over.
Minutes later, they acquired extra of an pleasure jolt over the consequence than the battle itself, when Brazilian Robson Conceicao, making an attempt for the fourth time to win a world junior light-weight title, pulled off a shocker, profitable the WBC junior light-weight title by controversial split-decision over O’Shaquie Foster, regardless of being outlanded 109-76 in complete connects and in 10 of 12 rounds.
Nonetheless, Conceicao (19-2-1, 5 knockouts) did sufficient to persuade judges Paul Wallace (115-113) and Anthony Lundy (116-112) that he gained, overruling decide Ron McNair’s 116-112 scorecard for Foster and what everybody else noticed on the Shakur Stevenson-Artem Harutyunyan undercard for the WBC light-weight title.
At ringside, The Ring had Foster profitable 118-110, giving Conceicao the fourth and eleventh rounds.
Foster (22-3, 12 KOs) was understandably shocked.
“I assumed it was shutout,” he mentioned. “I don’t know. I don’t know, man. I assumed it was straightforward. I assumed it was a simple battle. I didn’t get touched besides with a headbutt. I don’t know, man.
“I’ll be again. However I need the rematch. They stole this from me. They stole this battle from me. I simply needed to point out the world I may bang it out, and if I need to, I don’t need to get touched. I suppose it wasn’t ok for the judges.”
O’Shaquie Foster gave the impression to be the simpler puncher, however two of three judges noticed Robson Conceicao someway profitable (Picture by Mikey WIlliams/High Rank)
Conceicao, Brazil’s solely Olympic gold medalist, landed double-digit punches in simply the fourth and eleventh rounds; Foster landed double-digit punches in fifth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth rounds.
Based on CompuBox, Conceicao solely landed 10.8% of his punches (76 (27 physique pictures)/701), whereas Foster landed 25.1% (109 (20)/435), together with 33.7% of his energy punches (58 (14)/172). In seven of the 12 rounds, nonetheless, the fighters had been separated by three or fewer landed punches.
“That is for my daughter,” mentioned Conceicao, who failed three earlier occasions to win a junior light-weight title, shedding to Oscar Valdez and Stevenson, and combating to majority draw in opposition to Emanuel Navarrete final 12 months. “I promised this to my daughter, and I used to be in a position to fulfill that promise. I’m the champion of the world.
“I do suppose I gained the battle. I landed far more. He didn’t come to battle. He was working and working. I used to be the winner.”
For a lot of the battle, the fan’s throats acquired extra work from booing Foster and Conceicao than the fighter’s output.
It was tedious, unaesthetic, and ask nearly anybody on the Prudential Heart, extraordinarily troublesome to look at.
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On the outset, Conceicao got here out because the stalker, coming ahead. Foster was affected person, poking with the jab. Neither fighter did a lot of something within the first spherical, although Foster did join with a left hook off the jab because the Brazilian was backing up straight.
The second spherical took the identical course as the primary. Conceicao performed the bull, Foster the wily matador, stepping apart. Conceicao was seeking to hit something he may. Conceicao did step awkwardly at first of the spherical, and as he returned to his nook, with a hitch in his step.
Conceicao opened aggressively within the first 30 seconds of the third. He lunged and tried to search out Foster, who countered Conceicao with a proper after a miss. Within the latter portion of the spherical, Foster got here ahead, catching what Conceicao was throwing, and selecting away along with his jab.
Because the fourth unfolded, Conceicao stored pecking and throwing at air. He would step ahead and take a look at touchdown one thing, and Foster would shrewdly step left, step again, or step proper, and never be there. Although because the fourth wound down, a spattering of boos got here from the gang for the shortage of exercise.
In a uncommon second, it appeared, Robson Conceicao will get the higher of O’Shaquie Foster (Picture by Mikey Williams/High Rank).
The Newark crowd let the fighters hear it once more because the bell ended the spherical.
By the fifth, Foster appeared locked in. He stayed within the pocket and continued to avert all the things Conceicao tried. Foster started getting extra assertive, stepping ahead and countering Conceicao. When Conceicao tried slicing off the ring, Foster rolled out of the traps.
However once more, the boos started raining down. Foster ignored the fan’s pleas and stored within the pocket, discovering openings, touchdown the place he may. Foster did land a proper uppercut and closed the spherical with a straight proper.
Halfway by means of the sixth, Foster popped Conceicao with a three-punch mixture. And for the third-straight spherical, the gang voiced their disproval. Foster stayed slim, flashing an occasional flurry, then he would curl again into his defensive shell.
Foster’s defensive ways continued within the seventh. If Conceicao couldn’t get to him, why change?
Utilizing a excessive left shoulder guard, Foster stored Conceicao away and the followers continued to boo.
By means of seven, Fister outlanded Conceicao 58-39.
Sensing some urgency, Conceicao picked up his tempo at the start of the eighth. He tried stabbing the elusive Foster. However when Conceicao neared, Foster rapidly gained his respect with a jab, or a two-punch mixture. Within the latter portion of the eighth, followers jeered the shortage of motion.
When the ninth started, a trickle of blood got here from the nook of Foster’s proper eye after the fighters clashed heads. Conceicao did pop Foster with an honest quantity of physique pictures, although couldn’t join on something constant. It appeared Conceicao was trailing significantly because the battle entered the championship rounds.
Till then, Conceicao had landed double figures in just one spherical, the fourth, to that time.
The ultimate rounds had been mirrors of the primary 9. A weary Conceicao tried to attach, and Foster stepped out of the way in which and countered.
Apparently, Wallace and Lundy noticed one thing totally different.
Joseph Santoliquito is a Corridor of Fame, award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Journal/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Affiliation of America.
Observe @JSantoliquito
