WBC super featherweight champion O’Shaquie ‘Ice Water’ Foster 21-2 (12) snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when he scored a final round knockout of Eduardo ‘Rocky’ Hernandez 34-2 (31) at Poliforum Benito Juarez in Cancun, Mexico on Saturday night.
The 30-year-old from Houston, Texas says he never panicked despite trailing by wide margins on two of the judges’ scorecards going in to the 12th and final round.
Mexican Hernandez, 25, brought the fight to the champion throughout the contest, constantly pressuring and landing hard shot to the body and head. Early attempts by Foster to box Hernandez failed to keep the challenger off him and by the back half of the fight he had to pick his moments to stand and trade.
After eight frames Foster was trailing 80-72 and 78-73 on two of the scorecards while the third judge had it even. The champion worked his way back into the fight from the ninth round onwards but still had a mountain of work in front of him to retain his title.
Going into the final round, Foster was behind 110-99 on the card of judge Nicolas Hidalgo and 107-102 on the card of judge Ed Pearson. Judge Jorge Gorini had Foster up 106-103.
The fight changed on a dime in the final round when Foster bludgeoned Hernandez to the canvas twice. He beat the count both times but was on wobbly legs.
Even after the pair of knockdowns, all Hernandez had to do was remain on his feet until the final bell to be crowned the new WBC champion of the world but his pride got the better of him. He tried, without success, to fight his way out of trouble. Referee Hector Afu called off the fight with just 22 seconds remaining on the clock.
Foster said he knew he could hurt Hernandez in the ninth or 10th round, but needed until the final minute of the fight to put him away for good.
“My coaches were telling me that I was behind around the eighth round so I knew I had to push it before I lose my belt, I have to give it all, so that’s what I did,” said Foster, who was making the first defence of the vacant title he won against previously undefeated former two-weight world champion Rey Vargas 36-1 (22) in February.
“Rocky is a hell of a puncher and a hell of a fighter. I had to dig deep, but I knew I could catch him. Around the ninth or tenth round, I started seeing his body limp when I hit him with the right hand, so I just kept having faith in it.
“In the 11th round I hurt him, but he came back and hit me with a good shot so it gave him a little more hope, but in the 12th round I knew I could catch him.
“With the comeback KO I rate my performance an eight out of ten, but I really wasn’t too satisfied with how I fought. But it was a fun fight, I had fun in there.
“I want the winner of the fight next week with [IBF super featherweight champion Joe] Cordina and [Edward] Vazquez, that should be next, unify, let’s do it. I’ve proved I’ll go anywhere to fight, so if it’s the UK, let’s do it!”
