Analyst Teddy Atlas predicts a win for O’Shaquie Foster over WBC super featherweight champion Robson Conceicao in their rematch on Saturday night at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.
Atlas feels that the combination of the youth of the 31-year-old Foster (22-3, 12 KOs) and the pressure that will be put on the judges to give him the decision, will lead him to victory over the 36-year-old . old Conceicao (19-2-1, 9 KO).
The A-side Foster wasn’t supposed to lose to Conceicao earlier this year on July 6, but he failed to fight hard and assumed the judges would give him the decision based on his minimal work. He was given a quick rematch based on the huge outcry from Foster and his fans.
While Foster was using his Mayweather-esque potshot style, Conceicao was throwing punches non-stop, working him in every round. This left a clear impression of who I wanted to win more. Not surprisingly, the judges gave it to the hard-working 2016 Olympic gold medalist Conceicao.
Foster’s approach to the fight resulted in the crowd booing him, and even that didn’t motivate him to let go of his hands. Teddy didn’t mention anything about the fish, but it must have affected the judges.
The scores
– 116-112: Concept
– 115-113: I understand
– 116-112: Foster
I watched the fight live and had it for Conceicao 117-111. He outplayed Foster by a wide margin and dominated most of the fight. Foster looked like he was just trying not to get hit and stole the rounds in the last ten seconds landing a few shots.
It was obvious watching Foster that he didn’t want to put in any effort, which may be due to the tough fight he had recently against Abraham “Super” Nova on February 16th. Nova had beaten Foster a lot and outworked him in the same way that Conceicao outworked him.
The judges gave Foster a split decision over 12 rounds, but many fans felt that Nova had done more than enough to deserve the win. However, the judges gave it to the Foster A-side, who had dodged a bullet in that fight, but didn’t learn from his mistakes of not being busy enough.
“I like Foster to win this. I think Conceicao got his thing. He finally got his title. I’m happy for him,” said Teddy Atlas on his channel, picks O’Shaquie Foster to defeat Robson Conceicao this Saturday night in their rematch on November 2nd.
“I’m not happy that the other guy (Foster) got robbed. Foster got the revenge right away. I’m grateful for that. He’s younger (31). Conceicao is older (he recently turned 36). I think that probably won’t be as good as in that fight. Maybe the age will show a little more, and Foster being a little younger will show.”
Teddy is a little off. The younger fighter in their previous bout was Conceicao, not Foster. Although Foster was five years younger than the 36-year-old Conceicao, he looked and fought like an older man, using his Mayweather approach. He didn’t want to work hard, and that’s a sign of older fighters. The Brazilian Conceicao wanted more, and the judges noticed that. The slacker lost, and rightly so.
Conceicao is the one who was robbed in his last few fights, not Foster. In Conceicao’s fights against Emanuel Navarrete and Oscar Valdez, he was given a raw deal and should have won. Against Foster, the judges ended well.
“Foster will learn from his mistakes. People will say, ‘What mistakes?’ It was stolen. He could have done more,” Atlas said, predicting a win for Foster over Conceicao. “He left things on the table. I could hit more. I could do a little more. I think he’ll do a little more.”
Foster has never had a high work rate, and it is difficult to imagine that he will “learn from his mistakes”, as Atlas says, because this will involve changing the minimalist, pothot style that he has always had. Fighters cannot change their DNA, especially when they get older, and they have been through the wars that Foster had against “Super” Nova, Eduardo Hernandez and Rey Vargas. He took a lot of hits in those fights.
The Hernandez and Nova fights were brutal for Foster, and that’s why he may be reluctant to come out of the foxhole he’s been hiding in and hit the front line against Conceicao. Foster was too removed from the Nova, and Hernandez struggled to face no man’s land to engage in combat against the ambitious soldier Conceicao.
“I’m not saying that he should be reckless. I’m not saying that he has to get out of his identity that wants to box, and do all those nice things. But do a little more of them make your opportunities to move your hands a little more without betraying your style. I think it will do a little more.
“The other guy (Conceicao), I think he’s reached the top of the mountain. I think that’s going to be his shot at a mountain top. I think O’Shaquie Foster will win a unanimous decision. Did he get the rematch quickly? Because he had a quick rematch because they said it was an injustice. They asked for an immediate rematch from the organization (WBC),” said Atlas.
Conceicao won’t give up his WBC title just because he’s “reached the top of the mountain,” as Atlas says. What kind of nonsense is this? He will fight tooth and nail to hold on to it, and will go on the attack against the Foster removed from the battle and work again. Foster no longer has to fight with him. We saw that against Conceicao and Novs. Hernandez took it from him.
“Do you think the judges won’t be aware that the lights will be on them?” Atlas said. “‘Better be sure. Here, let me do my card now and be sure. First time, O’Shaquie. Second time, O’Shaquie. Third time, O’Shaquie. Fourth time, O’Shaquie.
“I think (Foster) has everything going for him. If that’s not enough, I think Foster’s got pressure on the judges. I think they’re going to be afraid not to give it to him,” Atlas said.
