O’Shaquie Foster Stops Hernandez As Nunez & Huni Earn Wins
In a war of attrition, WBC super featherweight champion O’Shaquie “Ice Water” Foster (21-2, 12 KO’s) dug deep to defend his title against Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez (34-2, 31 KO’s). In true buzzer-beater fashion, Foster nabbed a clutch twelfth round TKO win in his first title defense.
Rocky proved to be a very worthy foe early by jumping in Foster’s face and pressing the action from the very first round. In response, Ice Water used his feet to pepper the hard charging Hernandez with shots on the move. During the middle rounds, Foster began consistently holding his ground and sitting on his shots with greater regularity.
Rounds eight and nine were rather uneventful but were capped by an extremely aggressive and seemingly re-energized Hernandez in the tenth. Despite his zeal, Ice Water put Rocky down on the canvas early in the eleventh. With almost two minutes left, it seemed impossible for Hernandez to survive. Instead of wilting however, Rocky would hurt Foster, and get hurt, several more times before bell clanged, ending what is certainly a candidate for round of the year.
Feeling the pressure to produce something big, the champ put Hernandez on the canvas twice in the twelfth. Even though he found his feet both times, referee Hector Afu would call a halt to the action when Rocky was caught in another flurry of punches.
EDUARDO NUNEZ STOPS OSCAR ESCANDON
Super featherweight Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez (25-1, 25 KO’s) kept his perfect knockout streak alive in his latest contest versus Oscar Escandon (27-7, 18 KO’s). Nunez, ranked #4 (IBF) and #10 (WBO), spent the better part of the opening round pursuing Escandon around the ring behind his jab.
Sugar had success digging to the body and slinging hard hooks at his opponent’s head in the closing minute of the first. Yet, at the top of the second period, Nunez drilled Escandon with a debilitating right hook that put him on the canvas. Despite finding his feet before the ten count, he was too discombobulated and therefore the bout was waved off and the win awarded to Nunez.
In his post-fight interview, Sugar expressed his interest in facing the winner of Eduardo Hernandez versus WBC super featherweight champion O’Shaquie Foster or IBF 130-champion champion Joe Cordina.
JUSTIS HUNI ENDS WINSTREAK OF ANDREW TABITI
In his latest contest, heavyweight contender Justis ‘JPH’ Huni (8-0, 4 KO’s) inched up the ladder one rung closer to a title shot. He accomplished this by snagging a hard-fought unanimous decision over Andrew ‘Beast’ Tabiti (20-2, 16 KO’s). With the loss, Tabiti has seen his three-fight win streak snapped.
In this contest, it really was a case of ‘seen one round and you’ve seen them all’. Virtually every period saw Huni, ranked #15 (WBO), pressing the action on a back-peddling Tabiti who spent far too much time in retreat and on the ropes. Despite his tactics, Beast definitely had his moments and let his hands go.
In the end however, Huni would enjoy the greater volume and claimed more of the flashy, eye-catching shots. As a result, Huni secured a wide unanimous decision to the tune of 100-90 and 98-92 twice.
