IF YOU see a brand-new Dodge Charger Hellcat cruising by way of the streets of Houston, then there’s a very good likelihood it will likely be O’Shaquie Foster behind the wheel.
Or Ice Water as he’s additionally recognized. Or Shock, as his shut associates name him.
Growing up within the small Texan city of Orange, he glided by his start identify of O’Shanique. But everybody, even the MC who tousled his beginner debut and introduced him as O’Shaquie, now know him as the identical factor: the brand new WBC super-featherweight belt-holder.
The automobile is Foster’s reward, to himself, after he expertly outpointed Mexico’s two-weight sanctioning physique titlist Rey Vargas in San Antonio earlier this month, for the vacant belt.
Foster’s unanimous victory not solely introduced him as one of many main 130lbs fighters on the earth, but additionally marked a return from the depths he plumbed only some years in the past.
Tales of redemption run by way of boxing as a standard thread, however their frequency doesn’t make every story any much less highly effective than those earlier than. And, in that regard, the 29-year-old’s is exceptional as most.
His childhood was shattered after he watched his mom die of most cancers, at dwelling, alongside his brother, aged just 12. On the day of her funeral, Foster fought by way of the grief to win one among his two Golden Gloves beginner titles.
Edged out within the US Olympic trials for London, the hiccup of an sudden first defeat within the execs, a 2015 factors loss over eight rounds to Samuel Teah, grew to become one thing extra alarming when he stumbled once more, the next 12 months.
Just days earlier than that defeat to Rolando Chinea, once more over eight, Foster’s cousin, with whom he was particularly shut, was shot in head.
By now, the tentacles of the “streets” had pulled him into life that will, ultimately, lead him to jail in 2017. A cost of tried homicide can be lessened to one among aggravated assault and, after 4 months of being locked up, Foster was launched. But that point behind bars allowed him to maneuver away from the darkness. Metaphorically and, as he explains, actually.
“I was in a 12-man unit, no security guards, just you, the walls and the other inmates,” Foster tells Boxing News.
“You lose all control. That wasn’t my first time being locked up, but they wouldn’t bond me out, because they said I was a flight risk. Hurricane Harvey hit Texas at the same time, and they wouldn’t evacuate us. The lights went out for a week or two, and because there were no sign lights, just the brick walls, you couldn’t see anything. It was crazy. You lose control of everything. And you have guys in there who don’t like each other, and they’re in the dark with each other. I had a guy who didn’t like me. It wasn’t even that serious, it was over a dominoes game, but it went from there. That is how quickly it started. You have got to keep your head on a swivel.”
O’Shaquie Foster after defeating Rey Vargas of their WBC super-featherweight title struggle at Alamodome on February 11, 2023 in San Antonio, Texas (Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
Foster, with one of many world title belts round this waist, now has management of his future – or at the very least as a lot as boxing ever permits anybody.
And whereas he wanted eyes behind his head throughout that jail blackout, he instinctively started wanting over his shoulder, just days after defeating Vargas.
“I know they are coming for me now,” Foster mentioned of his rivals at super-featherweight. “And though I’ve received the world title, I’ve stored that chip on my shoulder. Anyone across the weight might be a risk so I’m listening to them now.
“I don’t have any room for error, and I want to make sure that any opportunity that I come across, I am ready for it, and I take full advantage. So that keeps me focused and my mind on the task.”
Foster already knew about Emanuel Navarrette, Shavkat Rakhimov and Hector Luis Garcia however used his first week as champion, to not loosen up, however to check the WBC’s necessary challenger, Eduardo Hernandez, and Joe Cordina, Wales’ former IBF king.
“A couple of days ago, I wanted to see what Cordina brought to the table, just in case his name comes across the table,” Foster, who’s skilled by Bobby Benton, mentioned.
“I didn’t actually know an excessive amount of about him till he knocked out Ogawa however he’s a hell of a fighter, he’s acquired velocity, he’s acquired energy, he’s acquired good ring generalship. It can be a very good struggle between us.
“They all have a mixture of styles but with my skills, I can beat anyone one of them. I’d love to fight all of the champions, to become the first undisputed champion at 130lbs and I feel like my style is superior to theirs.”
Foster, now 20-2, makes no bones about how that 2017 stint in jail formed his outlook and left him with laser focus, the place as soon as he had allowed it to slide.
“It was a big part of it, most definitely,” he mentioned.
“We managed to watch the Terence Crawford fight, when he fought Julius Indongo, in jail, I was sitting there and thinking about my options. I knew I could be in and out of here for the rest of my life and burn my dreams. But I understand that boxing has a timespan and it ain’t something you can do forever, so being locked up changed my mindset. I knew I needed to give boxing all I had before it was too late.”
The WBC have mentioned Foster should face the big-punching Hernandez, in a compulsory first defence of his title, however the American nonetheless holds out hope for unification matches earlier than too lengthy.
“I want to stay busy and be an active champion,” he mentioned. “Let them call my name and I’m going to keep checking them off the list!”
Whichever of Foster’s names they select to make use of, he’ll get the message. He’s prepared and ready.
Foster lands a left on Vargas (Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
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