BY JAKE DONOVAN
October 31, 2023
Source: Boxing Scene
Photo Source: Boxing Scene
O’Shaquie Foster could not have spit out his answer any quicker when asked about his next desired opponent.
“Cordina,” Foster emphatically stated after his come-from-behind, 12th round knockout of Eduardo ‘Rocky’ Hernandez over the weekend.
The name drop is in reference, of course, to IBF junior lightweight titlist Joe Cordina (15-0, 9KOs), the unbeaten, two-time IBF titlist from Cardiff, Wales who faces Edward Vazquez this Saturday in Monte Carlo. The event is promoted by Matchroom Boxing, who also presented Foster’s thrilling and successful WBC title defense over Hernandez this past Saturday at Poliforum Benito Juarez in Cancun, Mexico. Foster (21-2, 12KOs) was down on two of the three scorecards at the time of the stoppage. The dramatic finish came on a show where he was the visiting titleholder fighting Hernandez (34-2, 31KOs). who was the promotional house fighter and enjoyed home region advantage. Given the manner in which he both arrived on the title stage and subsequently had to retain his crown, Foster rightly believes that he’s earned the right to unify for his next outing. True to form, his first pick is arguably the best fighter in the division.
“I want the winner of Cordina and Edward,” vowed Foster. “That’s what we should have next. Let’s unify.”
There is a limited window where Foster can pursue a voluntary title fight.
Technically, the 30-year-old from the greater Houston area is on the hook for a second mandatory title defense, per the terms of his vacant WBC title win over then-unbeaten Rey Vargas this past February in San Antonio. Hernandez was the first mandatory, with the next to be decided in a scheduled November 25 title eliminator between Cuba-bred, Panama-based Pablo Vicente (23-1, 17KOs) and Tajikistan’s Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov (20-1, 11KOs). Foster already owns a decisive win over Yaquobv in their own title eliminator last March in Dubai to earn his first career title shot.
The win over Hernandez saw Foster travel to a fourth country within his past six fights. Given that Cordina is a sizeable draw in his Cardiff, Wales hometown, such a unification bout would almost certainly have to take place in the U.K. if not a neutral location.
“I’ve shown and proven that I’ll go anywhere,” vowed Foster. “If it’s the U.K., let’s do it. I’ll unify anywhere. The ring don’t change, so let’s do it.”
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