On Saturday, July 6th at Prudential Center Newark, New Jersey, O’Shaquie Foster will defend his WBC junior lightweight world title against Brazil's Olympic gold medalist and three-time world title challenger Robson Conceição. Foster (22-2, 12 KOs) had a distinguished amateur career with more than 100 fights and an alternate spot in the 2012 U.S. Olympic team before entering the paid ranks later that year. He encountered two early-career setbacks, including a split decision defeat to Rolando Chinea in July 2016.

 

He returned more than a year later with renowned trainer Bobby Benton and has since then, he has gone 12-0. Last February, he won the WBC world title with a points verdict over two-division champion Rey Vargas before a dramatic twelfth-round knockout win against Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez in October in a memorable thriller. The following month, Foster signed a long-term promotional deal with Top Rank. He returns after securing a well-earned split decision over Abraham Nova in February.

 

Conceição (18-2-1, 9 KOs), Brazil’s inaugural Olympic boxing gold medalist, turned pro in November 2016. His only losses have come against hitherto unbeaten world champions, including a close decision against then-WBC champ Oscar Valdez in September 2021.

 

Following a setback to Shakur Stevenson, Conceição’s June 2022 showdown against Nicolas Polanco ended in a no contest. He followed up by challenging three-weight world champion Emanuel Navarrete last November, rising twice from the canvas and battling to a majority draw. In April, he registered a seventh-round TKO against Jose Guardado.