O’Shaquie Foster has another two weeks to decide at which division he plans to continue campaigning in.
However, he confirmed the direction he’d like to head, shortly after his dominant points win over Stephen Fulton to win a secondary version of the WBC 135lbs title. Foster, 24-3 (12 KOs) is also a two-time and reigning WBC 130lbs titleholder, which leaves him with options following Saturday’s feat at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
One of those options stands out far above the rest.
“I want Shakur Stevenson,” Foster emphatically said after his victory. “I've been saying it for the longest.
“But it looks like he's gonna fight at 140. So, I have to choose either 130 or 135. I'll see what happens and make a decision.”
Stevenson, 24-0 (11 KOs), is an unbeaten three division titlist who currently holds the full version of the WBC 135lbs strap. He already satisfied his mandatory after a 12-round win over William Zepeda on July 12 in Queens, New York.
Next up for the 2016 Olympic silver medalist and pound-for-pound entrant is a January 31 showdown with lineal and WBO 140lbs champion Teofimo Lopez.
That leaves Foster’s options somewhat bleak at 135, though in fairness the division wasn’t in his immediate plans until Friday afternoon. That’s when Fulton, 23-2 (8 KOs), missed weight by 2lbs, which left him ineligible to challenge for Foster’s title.
It was learned afterward that TGB Promotions – the promoter for Saturday’s show – filed an emergency petition with the WBC to instead sanction Foster-Fulton as an interim title fight at 135lbs.
Foster’s best bet at the weight would be to ride out Lopez-Stevenson and see if the WBC 135lbs belt would be freed up in the aftermath. Such a move would result in an upgrade and would make him an official two-division titlist.
However, that can’t at all be guaranteed in the 15 days he has to make his decision.
On the other hand, the junior lightweight division appears to be prime for a revolution.
On its way next February 28 is a fantastic unification bout between IBF 130lbs titlist Eduardo “Sugar” Nuñez and WBO counterpart Emanuel Navarrete in Glendale, Arizona. Foster and Navarrete are both promoted by Top Rank, while Foster previously worked with Matchroom which co-promotes Nuñez.
Either way, there’s room to pursue the winner for a three-belt unification. Foster previously told BoxingScene that he’s willing to stick it out at 130lbs, as this would be his quickest path to becoming an undisputed champion.
“As far as staying at 130, it’s all about the opportunity” stated Foster, who’s been at the weight for most of his career dating back to his 2012 pro debut. “If something pops up at 135, we’ll move up and make it happen.
“We’re not in a rush to move up but I just want to keep my career going after this. We did what we needed to but it’s time to get these other belts.”
