O’Shaquie Foster stood his ground at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, clutching onto his WBC junior lightweight world title with a victory by split decision against Abraham Nova on a charged Friday evening.
The initial rounds saw both fighters sizing each other up with a series of jabs and feints, setting the stage for what was to evolve into a strategic battle. By the midpoint, Foster shifted gears, landing significant blows on Nova, who showed signs of wear. The turning point came in the ninth, with Foster delivering a series of decisive right hands, further extending his lead. He then sealed his dominance with a left hook in the twilight round, sending Nova to the canvas.
The judges’ scores told the story of a closely fought battle, with one siding with Nova at 113-114, overshadowed by scores of 115-112 and 116-111 in Foster’s favor.
Post-fight, Foster shared, “I won’t hide behind any excuses, but there was a moment when his elbow caught my bicep, throwing me off a bit. My rhythm wasn’t quite there tonight, but we clinched the win, and that’s what matters. I’m built for the long haul, adept at reading the fight and adapting. Nova had his moments early on, but I found my groove and his rhythm, turning the tide in my favor.
“Looking ahead, I’m eyeing matchups with the likes of Lamont Roach Jr. or the victor of the Oscar Valdez vs. Liam Wilson fight.”
Nova, reflecting on the fight, remarked, “Foster is a formidable opponent, no doubt. That slip in the 12th was just that—a slip. It skewed the fight’s outcome, but that’s the nature of boxing. Despite the setback, I’ve shown I belong at this level.
“I’m keen on a rematch with Foster. If that’s off the table, I’m ready to take on anyone, including Navarrete. The ring at The Garden awaits my return.”
Andres Cortes bulldozed his way to the WBO Intercontinental junior lightweight crown, sending Bryan Chevalier packing in round four with a clinic in power punching. From the get-go, Cortes was slinging leather like a madman, backing Chevalier into a corner with vicious hooks. The man from Las Vegas was on fire, dishing out punishment until Chevalier’s squad threw in the towel at 2:17 in the fourth, signaling game over.
Meanwhile, in the featherweight division, Bruce Carrington delivered a punch that’ll be replayed in highlight reels for ages, sending Bernard Torres to dreamland straight from a Brooklyn back alley. The shot, a sneaky right, folded Torres like laundry in the fourth, with the ref diving in to call it quits before Torres even hit the deck.
Carrington, basking in the glow of his hometown hero’s welcome, shared, “There’s nothing like throwing down in front of my New York fam at the Garden. It’s like every punch is turbocharged by the crowd. Knockouts? That’s just how I say ‘thank you’ for the love.” On the knockout, Carrington tipped his hat to Torres, “The guy’s solid, moves like a cat. But we had his number tonight.”
Over in the heavyweight scene, Italian powerhouse Guido Vianello turned the ring into a demolition site against Moses Johnson, sending him to the canvas four times in a whirlwind first round before the ref mercifully called it at 2:59.
In the middleweight division, Isaah Flaherty put on a blue-collar masterclass, systematically dismantling Julien Baptiste over six rounds. The judges were all singing the same tune with 60-54 across the board.
Junior lightweight action saw Ofacio Falcon outmaneuver and outclass Edward Ceballos, snagging a unanimous decision with scores that echoed the unanimous agreement of his dominance.
Tiger Johnson in the junior welterweight class made quick work of Paulo Galdino, lighting him up with counterpunches before closing the show at just 49 seconds into the fight.
Euri Cedeno, the Dominican dynamo in the middleweight division, brought the curtains down on Antonio Todd in the fifth round, sealing the deal at 2:39 with a TKO.
Lastly, Harlem’s own Arnold Gonzalez kept his record spotless in the welterweight division, outboxing Charles Stanford over six rounds to earn nods from the judges with scores of 58-56 and 59-55 twice.
