by Keith Idec
O’SHAQUIE FOSTER redeemed himself again Saturday night.
The reformed Foster, who won a world title 5½ years after he was imprisoned on an aggravated assault conviction, regained that WBC super featherweight championship by beating Robson Conceicao in their immediate rematch. Foster defeated Conceicao by split decision in a 12-round, 130-pound championship clash ESPN+ streamed from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
Almost four months after Concecaio upset him by split decision, Foster fought somewhat more aggressively in another closely contested bout. He hurt Conceicao with a right hand that knocked Conceicao off balance in the 10th round and was effective enough that judges Max De Luca and Eric Marlinski both scored their second fight 115-113 for Foster, who lost 115-113 on the card of Tom Schreck.
“He’s a hell of a fighter, man,” Foster told ESPN’s Mark Kriegel after becoming a two-time champion. “Man, his heart is unbelievable, man. Shouts out to him, man. He got a big heart, man.”
Not much separated Foster (23-3, 12 KOs), of Orange, Texas, from Conceicao (19-3-1, 9 KOs), of Salvador, Brazil, again in their second meeting.
It was a little more entertaining than their first fight, in which Foster fought during the championship rounds as if he were way ahead on the scorecards July 6 in Newark, New Jersey. The favored Foster felt he decisively defeated Conceicao on the Shakur Stevenson-Artem Harutyunyan undercard at Prudential Center, but two judges scored their 12-round fight for Conceicao.
Bobby Benton, Foster’s trainer, implored him between the later rounds of their second fight to let his hands go and avoid another narrow defeat. Foster responded by upping his output in the last three rounds, something he didn’t do during their initial meeting.
“I told you I was gonna step it up and bring it to him, and that was my goal, you know,” Foster said. “I still ain’t satisfied with my performance, but I felt like I showed a lotta people a lotta different [things], my versatility.
“When I thought he would fade, in certain spots I thought it was time to break him down, you know, he found some way to survive. So, hats off to him.”
Foster again landed more punches overall than Conceicao, though not much separated them according to CompuBox’s unofficial statistics, either.
CompuBox credited Foster for connecting on 172-of-534 punches overall Saturday night, 19 more than Conceicao, who landed 153-of-565. Conceicao threw fewer punches in their rematch than in the bout he won by split decision, but he was much more accurate than he was when they first fought (76-of-701).
Foster, who unofficially landed 109-of-435 punches July 6, argued afterward that he wasn’t given enough credit for his effective defense that night. The 31-year-old Foster feels Conceicao deserved to win no more than two rounds, but judges Tony Lundy (116-112) and Paul Wallace (115-113) respectively scored eight and seven rounds for Conceicao, whom Ron McNair scored a 116-112 loser.
Conceicao and Foster fought again because the WBC ordered an immediate rematch two weeks after their first fight.
The 36-year-old Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist, stopped short of stating that he felt he won their rematch during his post-fight interview with Kriegel.
“I’m happy because I know what I did in the ring,” Conceicao said through a translator. “I know that I did a good job, so it’s no reason to be sad. … I think it’s one of my best performances. And I know that I did a good job. I trained really well for it. The fight was tough, and it was close, but I know that I did a good job.”
In the co-feature Saturday night, undefeated lightweight contender Raymond Muratalla made quick work of Jesus Perez in their scheduled 10-rounder.
Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs), of Fontana, California, dropped Perez twice during the second round. Referee Charlie Fitch stopped the action as Muratalla attacked Perez once the action resumed after the second knockdown.
Tijuana’s Perez (25-6, 18 KOs) lost by knockout for the first time in eight years as a pro. Each of the Mexican veteran’s first five defeats came by unanimous decision.
An overhand right by Muratalla knocked Perez flat on his back only eight seconds into the second round. He got up quickly, but Muratalla swarmed him and got excellent extension on another right that again dumped Perez flat on his back with exactly two minutes to go in the second round.
The courageous, stubborn Perez answered Fitch’s count slower following his second trip to the canvas. Once it was clear Perez was in too much trouble to overcome, Fitch stepped between them and ended their fight at 1:24 of the second round.
Perez, 27, upset former IBF junior lightweight champ Joseph Diaz Jr. by split decision in his previous appearance, a 10-rounder that took place February 15 in Commerce, California.
