Shakur Stevenson called for a future fight with O’Shaquie Foster after watching him defeat Emanuel Navarrete, describing the newly unified super featherweight champion as an opponent who would motivate him to return to the ring.
Shakur left the timing open, indicating he would wait until Foster finishes pursuing undisputed status at 130 pounds. His challenge came after Foster collected Navarrete’s WBO and IBF belts to go with his WBC championship Saturday night.
“Helluva fighter he will never give me my credit but I’ll be real tonight he showed his level,” Shakur wrote on X. “That’s a challenge that would get me out of bed. Let’s do it whenever he’s ready.”
He added: “I’ll be here after his undisputed run!”
Shakur’s challenge initially sounded immediate, but waiting until Foster becomes undisputed suggests he wants the fight to marinate before committing.
Foster earned the attention with a performance built on accurate counters, movement, and a strong finish. He dropped Navarrete twice in the 12th round and won by scores of 118-108, 118-108, and 115-111.
That was the kind of opponent Shakur could appreciate: a boxer who made an aggressive, awkward champion miss and repeatedly punished him for reaching. Foster also recovered from being hurt late in the 11th to deliver his most decisive round.
There was a competitive edge beneath Shakur’s praise. His claim that Foster would never give him credit made the message more than a congratulatory post, although he still recognized what Foster had accomplished.
The practical questions remain unanswered. Shakur did not name a weight, propose a date, or suggest negotiations had begun. Foster has just secured three belts at super featherweight, while Shakur holds the WBO light welterweight title.
A meeting would therefore require decisions about weight as well as timing. For now, Shakur has identified Foster as a challenge worth pursuing, while giving him room to chase the remaining championship at 130 before discussing a fight.