At Madison Square Garden Theater, New York, NY, Friday over ESPN+ and ESPN Bob Arum (Top Rank), presented in the Main Event 2012 Olympian and WBC World Super Featherweight champion O’Shaquie Foster retaining his title by split decision over Abraham Nova over 12 sloppy rounds scoring the lone knockdown.
In the Main Event 2012 Olympian and WBC World Super Feather champ O’Shaquie Foster, 22-2 (12), #130, of Houston, TX, won a split decision over Abraham Nova, 23-2 (16), #129, of PR and Albany, NY, over 12 sloppy rounds.
In the second round Nova started the offense coming forward with a jab and looping rights to the head of Foster who has hardly landed a punch for two rounds. In the third round Foster came out southpaw taking a minute to finally open up in what little action there was taking the round with little from Nova.
In the fourth rounds halfway point Nova landed several looping rights to the chin of Foster in an otherwise little action round. In the fifth round Nova continues using his elbow and forearm without warning from Referee Steve Willis. Foster landed enough to draw blood from the mouth of Nova changing the color of his blonde beard to partially red. Little happened in the sixth round.
In the seventh round Foster’s title is slipping away with little offense from him. Nova backs him up into the ropes with an occasional uppercut to the chin. In the eighth round Nova drew blood from the mouth of Foster bullying him to the ropes. Foster landed a left hook on the chin knocking Nova off balance.
In the ninth round Nova came out throwing punches wanting that title Foster has. Both bleeding from the mouth and looking tired. The round even ended in a clinch giving the fans little to cheer about. In the tenth round in a clinch Foster landed a right uppercut to the chin of Nova.
In the eleventh round Nova had Foster against the ropes halfway through the round with both looking fatigued. At the end of the round Foster landed a right on the chin.
In the twelfth and final round with the title on the line Nova keeps throwing as Foster countered going into one clinch after another. With twenty seconds remaining Foster landed a left on the chin as their feet tangled as Nova hit the canvas for a second as referee Willis called it a knockdown. Finally, one sloppy fight came to an end.
Scores were 115-112 Foster, 114-113 Nova and 116-111 Foster and 114-113 Foster KH.
In the co-feature WBO No. 4 ranked WBO Inter-Continental Super Feather champ Bryan Chevalier, 20-2-1 (16), #139, of Bayamon, PR, lost by stoppage to the WBC USA Silver Feather champ Andres Cortes, 21-0 (12), #129, of Las Vegas, NV, at 2:17 of the fourth round of a scheduled 10 rounds.
In the first two rounds the shorter Cortes was out landing the taller Chevalier with power punches to the body and head of Chevalier. In between rounds the trainer of Chevalier told him either start throwing punches or he would stop it. In the third though Chevalier tried he took a beating from Cortes who put him into the ropes that prevented a knockdown.
In the fourth rounds final minute Cortes landed a right on the chin driving Chevalier several steps to the right as his trainer called a halt to the Referee Ricky Gonzalez.
Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington, 11-0 (7), #125.6, of Brownsville Brooklyn, NY, knocked out southpaw Bernard “La Maquina” Torres, 18-2 (8), #125.4, of PH and Grand, Norway, at 2:59 of the fourth round of a scheduled 10 rounds, for vacant NABF, WBA and WBO Inter-Continental vacant featherweight titles.
In the first round Torres did well to make it a close if not winning round against the taller Carrington. In the second and third rounds Carrington kept pressing Torres out landing him taking both rounds.
In the fourth round turning southpaw Carrington drew blood from the nose of Torres then went back to orthodox halfway through the round. In the final seconds a looping counter right after a Torres miss from Carrington on chin dropped Torres face first to the canvas and out. Referee Charlie Fitch didn’t need to count.
2020 Olympian Welter Delante “Tiger” Johnson, 12-0 (6), #140.4, of Cleveland, OH, stopped southpaw Paulo Galdino, 13-8-2 (9), #141.8, of Sao Paulo, BRZ, at 2:49 of the first round of a scheduled 8 rounds.
In the first round Galdino came forward for the most part getting beat by Johnson’s counter punching. In the final minute Johnson landed a right followed by three punches ending with a left on the chin of Galdino having him defenseless causing Referee Ricky Gonzalez to call a halt.
2020 Olympian southpaw Middle Euri Cedeno, 8-0-1 (7), #159, of La Romana, DR, stopped Antonio Todd, 16-10 (9), #158.6, of Atlanta, GA, at 2:39 of the fifth round of a scheduled 8 rounds.
In the first round Cedeno dominated Todd who lacked defense. In the second and third rounds Todd fought back though losing both rounds.
In the fourth round Cedeno had Todd’s mouth and nose bleeding. In the fifth round Referee Benjy Esteves had seen enough with the face of Todd covered with blood and not defending himself good enough.
Heavy Guido Vianello, 12-1-1 (10), #242.4, of Roma Lazio, IT, Las Vegas, NV, stopped Moses Johnson, 11-2-2 (8), #248.4, of Huntington, NY, at 2:59 of the first round of a scheduled 8 rounds.
In the first round Vianello had Johnson down five times before the stoppage by the referee.
Super Welter Arnold “AG” Gonzalez, 14-0 (6), #150, of New York, NY, defeated Charles Stanford, 7-5 (4), #147.6, of Cincinnati, OH, over 6 rounds.
In the third round Gonzalez used a left hook to the body to hurt Stanford. In the fourth and fifth rounds Gonzalez continued to outwork Stanford. In the sixth and final round Gonzalez knowing he was ahead stopped fighting in the final round allowing Stanford to finally win one out landing Gonzalez.
Scores were 58-56, 59-55 twice as did KH.
Super Feather Ofacio “The Sniper” Falcon, 11-0 (6), #130, of The Bronx, NY, defeated southpaw Edward Ceballos, 11-5-1 (6), #129.6, of Phoenix, AZ, over 6 rounds.
In the first two rounds Falcon dominated Ceballos. Even in a clinch with Ceballos hold the left arm Falcon hits him with his right on the side of the head due to Referee Fitch not breaking them. In the third the speed of hand and feet were too much for Ceballos who hardly landed but a few punches for three rounds.
In the fourth round, southpaw Ceballos landed a left drawing blood from the nose of Falcon. He took his first round. In the fifth round Falcon spun Ceballos around and hit him in the back of the head getting warning from Referee Fitch.
In the sixth and final round after dropping the last two rounds he opened up offensively enough to take the round from Ceballos especially with a right uppercut that hurt Ceballos in the final minute.
Scores were 60-54 and 58-56 KH.
Middle Isaah Flaherty, 7-0 (3), #158.4, of Queens, NY, defeated Julien “Black Dragon” Baptiste, 6-4 (3), #158.2, of Woburn, MASS, over 6 rounds.
In the first round a clash of heads caused a cut on Flaherty’s scalp in the first minute. In the last minute another clash of heads with Flaherty still taking the round. In the second round Flaherty out worked Baptiste the entire round. In the third round Flaherty landed many rights to the chin having Baptiste on
the defense.
From the fourth through the sixth rounds Flaherty continued coming forth and driving Baptiste around the ring winning every round.
Scores were all 60-54. Referee Benjy Esteves.
Ring Announcer Mark Shunock.