HOUSTON, Texas – O’Shaquie Foster wants to fight Shakur Stevenson after so convincingly beating Stevenson’s friend and gym-mate Raymond Ford.
The WBC junior-featherweight champion eased to the latest defence of his title, in a fight sufficiently one-sided that the one score of 114-114 against the two others of 116-112 and 118-110 perhaps represents cause for concern.
After the scores were announced at the Fertitta Center, Stevenson and Foster then had a heated confrontation not unlike those between Foster and Ford in the build-up to Saturday evening’s contest.
Stevenson, who most recently won at junior welterweight against Teofimo Lopez, has been linked to other high-profile fights – including at welterweight against Devin Haney. The 32-year-old Foster regardless will represent an increasingly appealing opponent for a promotion given their increased history, and it is that that Foster wants to take advantage of in the pursuit of what would be his biggest and richest test.
“He was talking like he would [fight me], but when he was looking in my face he kinda look intimidated,” Foster said of their encounter. “I don’t know if he was doing it for a show or not, but I’m very serious about making that fight.
“I told him what I was going to do his little man, and the world gonna ask for it now. They feel like [Ford’s] the lower version of Shakur – I showed what I can do to him, so let’s see what Shakur gon’ do.
“We’ll see about [fellow junior featherweight Emanuel] Navarrete but y’all know who I want. It’s all about Shakur now. He say he’s the man; I told him we can do it at 40; we can do it at 35; whichever you wanna do. That’s a big fight here in Houston, Toyota Center; the world will want to see it now so we just gotta wait and see.
“He know what happened in those sparring sessions. It weren’t just one, it was several sparring sessions, and he know I’m not lying. I’d tell y’all if it was a back-and-forth sparring session – it was one-sided. When we fight I’mma show the world, and I’mma show him.
“Shakur; Lamont [Roach; Richardson] Hitchins already ran away. Whoever they send in I’mma keep knocking them down. I’d love [Gervonta Davis] too, for sure.”
Asked about the score of 114-114 from the judge Chris Migliore that so flattered the 27-year-old Ford he then responded: “I knew it wasn’t close. I was just hoping the other two judges got it right.
“I’ve got more in my toolbox. I didn’t even switch southpaw. I was playing mind games with him ‘cause I knew he sparred with Shakur a lot. Every fight I wanna show something different.
“I couldn’t let this guy beat me. I’ve been calling him the ‘Dollar Store Shakur’, so if I lose to that it’s terrible.
“Ray Ford, everybody say he was one of the most skilful guys around the weight and y’all see how I made him look.”
Joining Foster at the top table of his press conference was Carl Moretti of his promoters Top Rank, who also guide Emanuel Navarette.
When a question was posed about a potential fight with Vasily Lomachenko, Moretti insisted that Lomachenko is yet to confirm that he is returning from retirement. He regardless recognised that Foster is in his prime and increasingly deserves in his home city the biggest, and richest, possible fights.
“It’s nothing but big fights from now on,” he said. “It’s a unification or somebody like that. That’s the level he’s at right now.
“We heard the people around [Lomachenko] say it; I didn’t hear Lomachenko say [that he’s returning]. If he wants to step back into the ring with O’Shaquie Foster, fine. Our job is to get as many offers as we can.
“I don’t know who [Foster] fights next but Houston’s a strong consideration because he can draw and we can build around it.
“Whether it’s Navarrete, or Shakur, he’ll fight anybody – 130; 135; he doesn’t have to go to 140 – he can call some shots and that’s what we’ll go over the next couple of months.”