Conceicao gets shocking split decision vs. Foster to claim 130 title
Keyshawn Davis routs rugged Madueno; Abdullah Mason shines as he pummels, stops typically durable Lebron
A note to Fight Freaks Unite readers: I created Fight Freaks Unite in January 2021 and eight months later it also became available for paid subscriptions for additional content — and as a way to help keep this newsletter going and for readers to support independent journalism. If you haven’t upgraded to a paid subscription please consider it. If you have already, I truly appreciate it! Also, consider a gift subscription for the Fight Freak in your life.
When O’Shaquie Foster struggled but still won his last WBC junior lightweight title defense by split decision over Abraham Nova in February he came into the bout with a foot injury that hampered his movement and then injured his biceps during the fight.
Ahead of defending against Robson Conceicao in the co-feature of the Shakur Stevenson-Artem Harutyunyan WBC lightweight title fight on the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card on Saturday night at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, Foster said he was injury free and it would be an easy fight. He was right.
Except two judges did not see it that way.
After Foster, who was making his third defense, seemingly dominated the entire fight — and the ESPN broadcast team had him winning a near-shutout — Conceicao was awarded a head-scratching split decision victory that will go down as one of the most controversial in recent years.
Judge Ron McNair had Foster winning 116-112, which was still seemingly generous to Conceicao, while judges Anthony Lundy (116-112) and Paul Wallace (115-113) had it for Conceicao, who was overcome with emotion when he was announced as the winner, finally having claimed a world title after having gone 0-2-1 in three previous opportunities at 130 pounds. Fight Freaks Unite had Foster winning 118-110.
Foster, like many, was in shock.
I am in my 25th year of full-time boxing coverage. Take advantage of that experience by upgrading to a paid subscription to read the rest of this post and for full access to all posts and comments — and also support independent journalism.