This Friday night, the gloves are off and the lights are on at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, NYC. Kicking off at 9 p.m. ET, ESPN and its siblings are airing the Foster vs. Nova brawl, courtesy of Top Rank Boxing.
Headlining the bill, O’Shaquie Foster, the WBC junior lightweight champ, is all set to defend his crown for the second time, squaring up against Abraham Nova. Foster’s been riding an 11-fight winning streak, having not tasted defeat since a controversial split decision back in 2016. He snatched the WBC belt last February, outboxing Rey Vargas, and then, in a dramatic twist, knocked out Eduardo Hernandez in the final round to keep his title secure.
Nova, with a hefty 23-1 record and a backstory of nearly 200 amateur scraps, is bouncing back from a knockout loss to Robeisy Ramirez, aiming to prove his mettle by taking on Foster. He’s had his hand raised against some seasoned pros since then, adding a bit more intrigue to this showdown.
The undercard ain’t just filler, either. Andres Cortes and Bryan Chevalier are throwing down in a 10-rounder that’s got fans buzzing. Cortes, still unblemished after 20 fights, is known for sending opponents to dreamland early. Chevalier, with a decade in the game and a 12-fight unbeaten streak, is no walk in the park.
Opening the TV spectacle, Bruce Carrington and Bernard Torres are set to duke it out. Carrington, fresh off the Olympic trials and with a string of KOs to his name, is looking to climb the ladder fast. Torres, with a solid record and fresh off a win, is keen to play spoiler.
For those glued to their screens early, ESPN+ is streaming the appetizers from 5:20 p.m. ET. And who’s narrating this pugilistic poetry? None other than ESPN’s own Joe Tessitore, Timothy Bradley Jr., Mark Kriegel, and Bernardo Osuna.
