The most anticipated fight of the coming weekend is undoubtedly Robson Conceicao vs O’Shaquie Foster 2, a highly awaited rematch set to take place on Saturday night at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, USA. At stake is the WBC Super Featherweight World Title, which Conceicao took from Foster four months ago in one of the most controversial decisions in recent years. The bout will be the main event of the card organized by Bob Arum’s Top Rank.
Robson Conceicao: Always Exceeding Expectations
If there’s one characteristic that defines the reigning world champion, it’s his ability to deliver performances that surpass the expectations of experts and fans alike. The Brazilian has often been counted out, only to prove skeptics wrong by engaging in competitive and thrilling fights. This happened in September 2021 when, as a heavy underdog, he delivered an incredibly close fight against Mexico’s Oscar Valdez, after which not everyone agreed with the decision to award Valdez the win. It happened again in November 2023, when he was once again considered outmatched against the formidable Emanuel Navarrete but managed to pull off a draw despite two knockdowns. While not particularly quick, Conceicao possesses excellent athletic endurance, allowing him to maintain a high work rate throughout his fights. A skilled and underrated body puncher, the Brazilian has suffered several knockdowns in his career but has never lost by stoppage, showcasing strong recovery abilities.
O’Shaquie Foster: Did it Take a “Robbery” for Him to Learn His Lesson?
There are boxers who, by nature or simply by the way they’ve been trained since their early days, never do more than the bare minimum to secure rounds. Foster belongs fully to this category: gifted with cat-like reflexes and exceptional defensive skills, the American only throws punches when he’s sure they’ll land and spends many minutes of his fights waiting for his opponent’s moves, skillfully neutralizing their attacks with his remarkable dodging and quick footwork. This approach has nearly cost him on several occasions: against Mexico’s Eduardo Hernandez, Foster entered the twelfth and final round down on the scorecards before pulling off a dramatic, incredible KO; against fellow American Abraham Nova, one judge even had him losing, though fortunately this score was offset by the other two. In the end, last July, the worst happened: despite doing enough to merit retaining his title, Foster lost his belt by split decision. A “robbery,” certainly, but with a little more initiative, maybe it wouldn’t have happened. Has he learned his lesson?
Robson Conceicao vs. O’Shaquie Foster 2: What Will Happen? Boxe Punch’s Prediction!
While Foster has made heated declarations, stating his intention to win by KO to avoid leaving the decision to the judges, the feeling here is that he won’t adopt an overly aggressive approach.
The American boxer, burned by his unpleasant experience in the first match, will likely aim to keep a higher pace than usual, but we probably won’t see him going all out in search of a KO, as this would force him out of his natural fighting style, sacrificing his best qualities.
Unless he engages in some unusual, frankly risky experiments, the challenger will likely focus on staying in the pocket more often and countering Conceicao’s missed punches with more frequent exchanges.
Less predictable is what the defending champion will do in the ring. Typically, someone who has already beaten an opponent tries to replicate the same strategy in a rematch, perhaps with a few adjustments, but this rematch presents a rather unique situation. Conceicao cannot be unaware that most judges around the world would have awarded him a clear loss four months ago, so he’ll have to come up with something new to retain his belt.
Based on what we saw in July, however, it doesn’t seem that the Brazilian has the necessary tools to penetrate Foster’s impenetrable defense. Conceicao isn’t fast or unpredictable enough to surprise his opponent with headshots, and it’s no coincidence that the few significant punches he landed at the Prudential Center in Newark were aimed at the body.
Remembering what happened last time, the champion may focus more intently on body shots, hoping to win over the judges again with his consistent action. However, repeatedly targeting the torso often leaves a fighter open to counters, and if both fighters do indeed stick to the tactics we’re predicting, the possibility of a knockdown by the challenger becomes very real.
Personally, I don’t believe Conceicao has what it takes to beat Foster. Despite coming into the ring in excellent shape and giving 100%, Conceicao didn’t win more than four rounds in his first fight with the American, and it’s hard to imagine he’s made significant improvements.
I think the champion will fight with his usual determination but will once again struggle to land effectively, facing counterpunches that could hurt him and shake his confidence as the fight progresses. I predict a points victory with a wide margin for O’Shaquie Foster, potentially including a knockdown.