Nobody’s B-Side: O’Shaquie Foster discusses leaving Matchroom for Top Rank and the possibility of fighting Emanuel Navarrete
Interview by Declan Warrington
BN: Your previous struggle, October’s victory over Mexico’s Eduardo Hernandez, was maybe the best of your profession. Why depart Matchroom for Top Rank?
OF: Because every part about that struggle wasn’t real. I used to be handled like the B-side. They did every part to get the benefit – which you’re imagined to do – however as a promoter, I believe you’d be type of, in between. But it’s all good. That’s why we’re right here now – I felt real love from Top Rank, and it simply felt like the proper alternative.
BN: …you assume Matchroom wished you to lose?
OF: It was deeper than simply me and him fighting. For positive.
The ring was comfortable; the ring was small; there was all types of issues happening with that struggle [staged in Cancun, Mexico]. The judges – one choose obtained me down; the different choose gave him the first seven or eight rounds. It’s loopy.
BN: They should have tried to maintain you after an thrilling struggle like that?
OF: You know, I didn’t have any talks with them. Not even for [Joe] Cordina – nothing.
I imply I had affords [from other promoters] earlier than the Hernandez struggle, however like I stated, Top Rank – they confirmed me the most love, and like I stated, I all the time wished to struggle on ESPN. Everybody got here by way of Top Rank; Muhammad Ali, all the approach right down to Floyd [Mayweather]. It’s all the time been a dream of mine to be nice and do nice issues, and I believe that is the path to it.
I used to be positive that [the dramatic knockout of Hernandez] was the cause why [Top Rank wanted me]. I used to be capable of present so much in that struggle, and I’m not going to lie, Top Rank was not who I believed was going to return for me. It shocked me, and it was all love that it labored out.
It was one of the most fun moments of my life, to only be a component of one thing that appears like they need me. I don’t really feel like I gotta go on the market and attempt to knock my man out each time, simply to get the win, so I’m joyful.
BN: Was the possibility of a struggle with Emanuel Navarrete talked about to you as half of the deal?
OF: I believe it’s a possibility. They’ve obtained loads of choices, however you recognize firstly the predominant goal is to unify, and so I believe it could possibly be a possibility. You’ve obtained two champions with the similar motive, so it shouldn’t be that arduous to make.
We’re all the time up for unifying – that’s one thing we’ve been screaming since we gained the [WBC] title, however we perceive that some fights need to be constructed, and the course of of it, so we undoubtedly need it. It’s a possibility, for positive.
But one factor about it, he’s obtained to need it too – I’m completed chasing these guys. That’s one factor about it [that] I might say – calling out [Joe] Cordina. I used to be a free agent earlier than he fought the man that he fought, even earlier than the purse bid, so I’m completed chasing these guys. I’m gonna name them out, but when they wanna struggle, it’s obtained to be a two-way road.
BN: How good a fighter is he?
OF: I’ve all the time loved watching him struggle, particularly when he first got here on the scene, as a result of I believed it was one of the most awkwardest, weirdest struggle types which have ever got here by way of the sport, but it surely labored for him. It was entertaining, so I believe he’s a superb, awkward fighter – he does issues {that a} regular fighter can’t do. I’m speaking about being out of place – these issues that he does [laughs]. He’s an incredible champ, he undoubtedly deserves the clout that he will get.
I believed that he was going to beat [in August 2023 Oscar] Valdez. That struggle with Valdez, it made me see that he’s just a little smarter than what I believed of him at first. I noticed one thing like that.
BN: Does it shock you Matchroom didn’t make a struggle between you and Joe Cordina?
OF: Yeah we might’ve fought, however he did say loads of occasions that he didn’t need the struggle with me, to allow them to’t power him to struggle. Like I stated, every part that went down with this final struggle, and even earlier than the struggle, issues that I can’t speak about [that] they know – it actually simply wasn’t going to work out.
I do know that after his struggle, he stated that there wasn’t no cash [in] fighting me and issues like that, so I simply stopped being attentive to it – I’m not going to deceive you – as a result of like I stated, I used to be a free agent earlier than his final struggle, and he didn’t have an obligation to do a compulsory [fight] or something, so we may’ve completed it then. Obviously if I’m prepared to go to Mexico, I might’ve gone anyplace – I’ve proven that I’ll go anyplace, it may have been the place him and [Edward] Vazquez fought [Monte Carlo, Monaco], so it’s all good, man.
BN: Is Cordina adequate to threaten Shakur Stevenson, as has been mentioned?
OF: After that [November’s fight with Vazquez], I don’t actually see [Joe] Cordina beating the elite guys – I truthfully don’t. You know, anyone that steps in the ring [has] obtained a puncher’s probability, however I don’t see it being a aggressive struggle with him and Shakur [Stevenson].
[Stevenson is] an incredible fighter. He is aware of use his vary effectively; he’s obtained pace; he’s simply actual good, and he does his factor.Just look out for me [against Abraham Nova] – 2024, I’m gonna begin it off with a bang.
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