O’Shaquie Foster put on one hell of a show, holding onto his title by delivering a heart-stopping final round KO against Eduardo Hernandez. This fiery fight had the audience on their toes till the very end in Cancun, Mexico, all while streaming on DAZN.
Defending his title for the first time in Hernandez’s home country of Mexico, Foster (21-2 12 KOs) seemed to be losing grip on the belt according to the judges. But, the explosive 11th round was a complete game-changer, an adrenaline-filled scene that had fans holding their breaths.
Hernandez (34-2 31 KOs) impressively maintained his stance, even when Foster tried to topple him. Just when everyone thought Hernandez was faltering, ‘Rocky’ launched a surprise, turning the tables on Foster. Those three minutes? Pure excitement with both fighters exchanging powerful blows.
As the final round started, Foster’s stamina seemed superior. Confirming that suspicion, he managed to knock Hernandez down not once, but twice. The referee had to intervene with barely 28 seconds remaining. Adding salt to Hernandez’s wounds, post-fight scorecards showed that he would’ve clinched the title if he survived that round. The scores read – 110-99 and 107-102 in his favor.
Though Hernandez aims to bounce back in 2024, Foster stole the night. His thrilling last-minute KO ensured he remains the reigning champion. After the fight, ‘Ice Water’ openly challenged Joe Cordina, eyeing a significant unification fight if Cordina retains his IBF title against Edward Vazquez.
Foster reflected on his performance, stating, “Around the eighth round, my team hinted I was trailing. I realized it was do or die. I couldn’t let my title slip away. Kudos to ‘Rocky’, he’s a solid fighter. But during the fight, I sensed his weakening resolve. Despite the ups and downs, I enjoyed every bit of it.”
He then voiced his ambition for the future: “Next in line should be the winner of the Cordina-Vazquez fight. I’ve shown I’m ready to fight anywhere, so if it’s in the UK, bring it on.”
In other fights of the night, Justis Huni (8-0 4 KOs) showcased an impressive skill set, dominating Andrew Tabiti (20-2 16 KOs), earning the WBA International Heavyweight title. Additionally, Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez (25-1 25 KOs) continued his intimidating KO streak, taking down Oscar Escandon (27-7 16 KOs) within just two rounds.
