Rey Vargas is searching for his third world title tonight, as he battles O’Shaquie Foster in the main event of a tripleheader on SHOWTIME from the Alamodome. The winner will likely walk away with the vacant WBC 130 lb title.
Both fighters will be looking to make a statement as they battle in the first round. However, it’s clear that Vargas has the edge in terms of experience.
Vargas vs Foster Fight Results
In the main event of Showtime’s SuperFight Night in San Antonio, Texas, two-division world champion Rey Vargas (36-1, 22 KOs) took on top contender O’Shaquie Foster (20-2, 11 KOs) for the vacant WBC super featherweight title. The 12-round fight was held on February 11 in San Antonio and aired live across the globe on Showtime.
O’Shaquie Foster beat Rey Vargas by a unanimous decision in the 12-round main event on Saturday, February 11, and took the vacant WBC super featherweight championship. The scores were 116-112, 117-111, and 119-109 for Foster on the official scorecards.
Vargas fought with confidence in the first round, but he was not hitting the levels needed to win this fight against a more experienced opponent. He did pepper Foster with shots in the first minute, but they did not land on the chin of the Orange, Texas native.
After the first minute, Vargas started getting more aggressive, but he still failed to find anything of note. He landed a solid left hook to close the round, but it did not appear to stun Foster.
In the second round, Foster used his jab effectively while Vargas stayed out of range and didn’t have much of an edge. He backed up Vargas in the middle of the round with a solid right hook counter, but his overall punches weren’t nearly as good as those from the former two-division world champion.
By the end of the third round, Vargas started to look a bit frazzled, but he wasn’t losing the battle. He got a few more shots in but was slipping a little and he wasn’t landing anywhere near as many big shots as Foster.
The fourth round was another tough one for Vargas. He pushed Foster into the corner and was peppering him with shots, but they were not landing on his chin and he slipped a couple times. He was also not getting a lot of counters, and Foster was picking up his pace.
Rey Vargas looked lankier than in his previous fights, but he was also not able to land the knockout blows that he usually does. The lanky 5’10” Vargas is not an explosive hitter, but he can box well and use his reach to outbox an inexperienced opponent like Foster. He has won eight of his last nine fights by decision, and he’s not been knocked out since 2016.
Vargas vs Foster Fight Scores
On February 11, undefeated two-division world champion Rey Vargas (36-0-0, 26 KOs) fought top 130-pound contender O’Shaquie Foster (19-2-0, 9 KOs) for the vacant WBC super featherweight title at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The match was televised on SHOWTIME.
In the main event, Vargas won a unanimous decision over Foster. He took a while to get into the fight, but eventually found his groove and began to out-box Foster on multiple occasions in Rounds 5-12.
He landed over 50 percent of his total punches, while Foster landed over 40 percent. However, the American did manage to out-land Vargas a bit to the body and also used his power more frequently than Vargas, but he wasn’t able to land enough big shots in the ring to take the fight away from Foster.
Despite this, it was a solid win for Vargas and he is now on the verge of becoming one of Mexico’s greatest fighters. He will join the likes of Julio Cesar Chavez, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera on the list of Mexican boxers who have won titles in three divisions.
The undercard featured Claudio Marrero (26-5, 18 KOs) of Dominican Republic fighting Las Vegas-based Gonzalo Fuenzalida (12-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-rounder at super featherweight and Philippines’ Eumir Felix Marcial (3-0, 1 KO) taking on Ricardo Villalba (20-7-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-round middleweight bout. Showtime streamed both of these undercard fights on its YouTube channel.
After a slow opening round, the fight picked up in the second and third rounds, with Marrero landing his jab and Vargas attempting to control the distance. In the fourth, the American began to throw more heavy shots and it paid off in the fifth as he dropped his opponent with a left hand that shook him out of his rhythm.
In the sixth, the fight got more exciting as he started to out-box his opponent and in the eighth, he landed a few nice combinations. Then, in the ninth, he stepped up his game and pushed forward to out-box Vargas on numerous occasions.
Vargas vs Foster Fight Predictions
Vargas is on a six-fight winning streak, making him a strong betting favorite to win his third title in three weight classes this Saturday night. He has a 36-0 record, 22 knockouts, and an average fight time of 6.16 rounds. He has a solid arsenal of combinations and has fought in high-level bouts, so he should be prepared for this matchup against O’Shaquie Foster.
Vargas has a big experience advantage over Foster, but he does have a slightly smaller overall frame and a two-inch reach deficit. That may not be a huge disadvantage, but it could play a role in his ability to keep his opponent off the ropes.
The fight should be an exciting one, as both Vargas and Foster are talented fighters who will likely bring the action to the ring in their own unique way. Traders working at leading sportsbooks are eager to bet on Vargas, as they believe he has the upper hand in this battle.
Rey Vargas has a solid resume as an amateur boxer, winning five national championships and earning multiple titles in the process. He also has a great deal of professional experience, having defended his WBC title at 122 pounds on five occasions. He is the current betting favorite to win his third world title in a row this weekend against O’Shaquie Foster.
This matchup will take place on Saturday night at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It will be broadcast on Showtime and streamed live online for free.
The main event will feature a fight between Rey Vargas and O’Shaquie Foster, who is the WBC mandatory. The Mexican will be looking to become the first man to defend a 130-pound title since Shakur Stevenson was stripped of his belt after failing to make the weight.
Foster is 19-2 with 11 knockouts and an average fight time of 5.23 rounds. He is a slight +120 underdog, but he will give Vargas a true test. He has been in the ring three years longer than his opponent and has less wear and tear on his body.
Vargas vs Foster Fight Analysis
The main event of this Saturday’s SHOWTIME telecast in San Antonio, Texas features undefeated two-division world champion Rey Vargas taking on top 130-pound contender O’Shaquie Foster for the vacant WBC Super Featherweight World Championship. The telecast also featured former world champion and all-action San Antonio native Mario “El Azteca” Barrios returning to the ring in a 10-round welterweight fight against Jovanie Santiago that served as the co-main event.
The 32-year-old Vargas is a tall and lanky fighter who excels when using his size to his advantage. He’s a good inside fighter who works the body well and has a high work rate. He’s also very accurate, delivering solid shots with conviction.
However, he has some defensive liabilities that usually present themselves later in fights or when he’s caught at the wrong distance. These include a tendency to be vulnerable to the right hand and a tendency to move back from an inside attack when the opponent has an opening.
Vargas’ jab is a good one, although it has been underutilized, and he is an effective long-range threat. He’s also a very effective left hook hitter, and his ability to control the action in the clinch is another strength.
He has a great work rate and is very consistent with his punches, but he hasn’t been knocking out his opponents as often as he should be in this division. He’s also prone to slips and deviations, which could be an issue against Foster.
Foster has an impressive professional record, spanning 19-2-0 and 11 knockouts. He started out in 2012 and lost a couple of close decision fights in his first four years, but has since gone on an unbeaten run, winning nine by way of knockout.
As a result, he earned the WBC mandatory title position after Shakur Stevenson left that weight class. He’s now embarking on a first-ever world title bid in a few days, and will be looking to claim his first title from the same venue where he qualified for Olympic trials.
Foster hasn’t fought in the main event slot for almost two years, and he’s not used to competing at such an elevated level, but he’s still undefeated with a very strong body of work. This is a big fight for him, and he will need to be at his best if he’s going to have any chance of beating Vargas.
