Brazilian WBC super featherweight champion Robson Conceicao and American former world champion O’Shaquie Foster will be meeting in the ring for their rematch on November 2nd as recently confirmed by promotional outfit Top Rank. The two 130-pounders had battled several months prior with Conceicao narrowly winning by split-decision to win Foster’s WBC title, though the result was regarded as controversial with Foster’s performance deemed good enough for him to have earned a victory. The two will headline at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York.
The 35-year old Robson Conceicao (19-2-1, 9 KO’s) will have held onto his WBC super featherweight (130 lbs) title for roughly four months once he steps into the ring with 30-year old American contender O’Shaquie Foster (22-3, 12 KO’s).
The fighters’ first fight, held on July 6th this year, was an extremely close contest that had warranted this rematch, with their upcoming November 2nd bout aiming to draw a definitive conclusion given the nature of how their first match entered. The rematch had further been heavily demanded by O’Shaquie Foster right after the match due to the perceived inaccuracy of the scorecards that painted Robson Conceicao as the winner and new WBC 130 lbs champion.
Now that Conceicao holds a world title, the first of his career, Foster can expect fierce resistance as he challenges the Brazilian to reclaim his lost title, though at least one oddsmaker has already indicated Foster will be the favorite based on his last performance against Conceicao―suggesting the general opinion considers Foster to have won the first bout between them.
With the two fighters already being familiar with each other, their November 2nd match can make for an even more intriguing contest as they will be attuned to each other’s vulnerabilities and strengths and seek to adapt accordingly to grab a vital important victory. As Top Rank co-founder and CEO Bob Arum stated within the press release announcing the rematch, the winner is likely to participate in a unification bout.
This unification bout will likely involve the winner between Mexican WBO interim 130 lbs champion Oscar Valdez (32-2, 24 KO’s) and Mexican WBO 130 lbs champion Emanuel Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KO’s) as both fighters are signed to Top Rank and expected to compete in a WBO-mandated match that will see . As a result, the title will remain within the promotional outfit’s stable regardless of who wins, giving the opportunity for the winners of Valdez-Navarrete and Conceicao-Foster to face each other―possibly this year.
Featuring on the undercard will be American lightweight (135 lbs) contender Raymond Muratalla (21-0, 16 KO’s) who will be facing non-ranked Mexican contender Jesus Antonio Perez Campos (25-5, 18 KO’s). American 130 lbs contender Abraham Nova (23-3, 16 KO’s), who last challenged then-incumbent WBC champion O’Shaquie Foster earlier this year will also participate on the November 2nd card.
A surprise addition to the card has also been revealed as the 40-year old American veteran Henry “Hank” Lundy (32-14-1, 14 KO’s) will also participate in the event. He will be facing American 140 lbs prospect Bryan Mills (16-1, 5 KO’s).
