Foster grinds out split decision over Nova to retain 130 title

Cortes blows out Chevalier; Carrington scores sensational knockout

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O’Shaquie Foster said he had a very hard weight cut and then he hurt his right biceps in the fifth round, but he persevered.

Foster ground out a split decision victory against Abraham “Super” Nova to retain the WBC junior lightweight title in the main event of the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card on Friday night at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Foster, who knocked Nova down with about 20 seconds left in the fight, won 116-111 and 115-112 while one judge had it 114-113 for Nova in the hard-fought fight. Fight Freaks Unite also had it 115-112 for Foster.

“My rhythm was off tonight. It’s all good,” Foster said. “We came home with the W, so I can’t complain.”

Foster made his second defense of the 130-pound belt in an encore to a wild and dramatic 12th-round knockout of mandatory challenger Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez in October on Hernandez’s turf in Mexico. After engaging in the round of the year in the 11th, Foster, who was trailing badly on two scorecards, rallied for the knockout win with 22 seconds left.

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