Rey Vargas vs. O’Shaquie Foster: date, time, how to watch, background.
Two-time titleholder Rey Vargas and O’Shaquie Foster will fight for a vacant 130-pound title Saturday night on Showtime from the Alamodome in San Antonio.
REY VARGAS (36-0, 22 KOS) VS. O’SHAQUIE FOSTER (19-2, 11 KOS)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 11
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Alamodome, San Antonio
TV/Stream: Showtime
Division: Junior lightweights (130 pounds)
At stake: Vacant WBC title
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Vargas 2-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Mario Barrios vs. Jovanie Santiago, welterweights; Lenier Pero vs. Viktor Faust, heavyweights
Prediction: Vargas UD
Background: Vargas is back in full gear after a two-year layoff between 2019 and 2021, in part the result of a broken leg suffered during a training run. The 32-year-old Mexican, a former 122-pound titleholder, returned at 126 and nearly shut out Leonard Baez in November 2011 and then defeated then-WBC champ Mark Magsayo by a split decision to become a two-division titleholder in July of last year. Now he’s going for a third even though he says 126 is his natural weight. Vargas is a polished technician and had knockout power at 122 but his two fights at 126 went the distance. We’ll see whether he can hurt the naturally bigger Foster at 130. The 29-year-old Foster, a top U.S. amateur a decade ago, also is good technician but is stepping up in opposition for what is his first opportunity to fight for a major world title. The Houston fighter hit some speed bumps in 2015 and 2016, when he lost two of four fights. He then made some changes in his camp and hasn’t lost since. He delivered arguably his biggest victory when he stopped veteran Miguel Roman in nine rounds in November 2020. He then easily outpointed then-unbeaten Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov in his most recent fight, in March of last year, to earn a shot at the title.
Rey Vargas and O’Shaquie Foster will fight for a vacant 130-pound title Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio (Showtime). And if you ask them, both will tell you with confidence that he’s going to have his hand raised afterward. Vargas, a …
Rey Vargas and O’Shaquie Foster will fight for a vacant 130-pound title Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio (Showtime).
And if you ask them, both will tell you with confidence that he’s going to have his hand raised afterward.
Vargas, a two-division titleholder who is shooting for a third, is about a 1½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets).
“The best way to tell the world about me is by winning another world title,” he said Thursday at the final news conference before the fight. “I’ve been a solid world champion for a while and now I’m going to add myself to the same list as the greatest Mexican fighters of all time.”
Said Foster: “I’m coming to spoil the show. I know he’s going to have the fans on his side, but by the end of the night the world is going to see what I’m really made of.”
Rey Vargas and O’Shaquie Foster will fight for a vacant 130-pound title Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio (Showtime). And if you ask them, both will tell you with confidence that he’s going to have his hand raised afterward. Vargas, a …
Rey Vargas and O’Shaquie Foster will fight for a vacant 130-pound title Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio (Showtime).
And if you ask them, both will tell you with confidence that he’s going to have his hand raised afterward.
Vargas, a two-division titleholder who is shooting for a third, is about a 1½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets).
“The best way to tell the world about me is by winning another world title,” he said Thursday at the final news conference before the fight. “I’ve been a solid world champion for a while and now I’m going to add myself to the same list as the greatest Mexican fighters of all time.”
Said Foster: “I’m coming to spoil the show. I know he’s going to have the fans on his side, but by the end of the night the world is going to see what I’m really made of.”
O’Shaquie Foster believes it’s his time to become a champion. He faces Rey Vargas for a vacant 130-pound title on Saturday.
O’Shaquie Foster’s dreams of becoming a world champion seemed unrealistic in the mid-2010s.
The one-time U.S. amateur star from Texas lost two decisions in a span of four fights, against Samuel Teah in 2015 and Rolando Chinea the follow year that left his career at a crossroads.
Well, he evidently took the right path when things looked bleakest. He took 17 months off, revamped his team (he’s now trained by Bobby Benton) and eliminated distractions by moving from his hometown of Orange to Houston.
The result? He hasn’t lost since the Chinea fight, a run that has led to a meeting with Rey Vargas for a vacant 130-pound title Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio (Showtime).
That’s not to say that his career has gone perfectly – he has fought only twice since 2019 because of a promotional dispute – but he’s exactly where he wants to be at this moment.
“I had to get with a team that believed in me, that knew me,” Foster told me and Kenneth Bouhairie on The PBC Podcast. “… That’s really the ultimate thing, having the right team around me, to [realize] my potential.
“… I always knew I had it. It was just circumstances.”
Foster (19-2, 11 KOs) hasn’t been as active as he would’ve liked the past few years but he has delivered some notable victories.
Unanimous decisions in 2018 over Frank De Alba and then-unbeaten Jon Fernandez in his first 10-rounder and a ninth-round knockout of veteran Miguel Roman in 2020 stand out. He looked like a contender in all those victories.
In other words, he didn’t come out of nowhere to get his opportunity on Saturday.
“I worked for this moment my entire life,” he said. “… For me it has been a step-by-step thing. I went to Pennsylvania right after I got started [again] and fought as the “B” side in [De Alba’s] hometown with his promoter and beat him. Jon Fernandez was supposed to be this big monster on ShoBox – he was [16-0, with 14] knockouts – and I went and beat him.
“It was definitely step by step getting me prepared for this moment.”
Of course, Vargas (36-0, 22 KOs) represents a significant step up in opposition even though the Mexican will be making his debut at 130 pounds.
Foster wasn’t overly impressed with Vargas’ victory over Mark Magsayo to win a 126-pound belt last June – giving him titles in a second division – because he believes Magsayo is limited. At the same time, as Foster put it, “He got the job done.”
And, yes, he acknowledges that the most difficult challenge of his career is days away.
“Yeah, I feel like he’s the toughest test being that he’s a two-time world champion. And I’ll be fighting for a world title,” Foster said.
At the same time, the 29-year-old doesn’t seem to be fazed by the moment. He had a lot of important fights in his amateur career, during which he took part in the 2012 U.S. Olympic trials. And he’s endured ups and downs as a professional for more than a decade.
A big fight, even a title fight, isn’t going to rattle him.
“I’m ready,” he said. “Words can’t really explain it. It just took so much for me to get to this point. I just feel like it’s [the] time for me to show the world.”
O’Shaquie Foster believes it’s his time to become a champion. He faces Rey Vargas for a vacant 130-pound title on Saturday.
O’Shaquie Foster’s dreams of becoming a world champion seemed unrealistic in the mid-2010s.
The one-time U.S. amateur star from Texas lost two decisions in a span of four fights, against Samuel Teah in 2015 and Rolando Chinea the follow year that left his career at a crossroads.
Well, he evidently took the right path when things looked bleakest. He took 17 months off, revamped his team (he’s now trained by Bobby Benton) and eliminated distractions by moving from his hometown of Orange to Houston.
The result? He hasn’t lost since the Chinea fight, a run that has led to a meeting with Rey Vargas for a vacant 130-pound title Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio (Showtime).
That’s not to say that his career has gone perfectly – he has fought only twice since 2019 because of a promotional dispute – but he’s exactly where he wants to be at this moment.
“I had to get with a team that believed in me, that knew me,” Foster told me and Kenneth Bouhairie on The PBC Podcast. “… That’s really the ultimate thing, having the right team around me, to [realize] my potential.
“… I always knew I had it. It was just circumstances.”
Foster (19-2, 11 KOs) hasn’t been as active as he would’ve liked the past few years but he has delivered some notable victories.
Unanimous decisions in 2018 over Frank De Alba and then-unbeaten Jon Fernandez in his first 10-rounder and a ninth-round knockout of veteran Miguel Roman in 2020 stand out. He looked like a contender in all those victories.
In other words, he didn’t come out of nowhere to get his opportunity on Saturday.
“I worked for this moment my entire life,” he said. “… For me it has been a step-by-step thing. I went to Pennsylvania right after I got started [again] and fought as the “B” side in [De Alba’s] hometown with his promoter and beat him. Jon Fernandez was supposed to be this big monster on ShoBox – he was [16-0, with 14] knockouts – and I went and beat him.
“It was definitely step by step getting me prepared for this moment.”
Of course, Vargas (36-0, 22 KOs) represents a significant step up in opposition even though the Mexican will be making his debut at 130 pounds.
Foster wasn’t overly impressed with Vargas’ victory over Mark Magsayo to win a 126-pound belt last June – giving him titles in a second division – because he believes Magsayo is limited. At the same time, as Foster put it, “He got the job done.”
And, yes, he acknowledges that the most difficult challenge of his career is days away.
“Yeah, I feel like he’s the toughest test being that he’s a two-time world champion. And I’ll be fighting for a world title,” Foster said.
At the same time, the 29-year-old doesn’t seem to be fazed by the moment. He had a lot of important fights in his amateur career, during which he took part in the 2012 U.S. Olympic trials. And he’s endured ups and downs as a professional for more than a decade.
A big fight, even a title fight, isn’t going to rattle him.
“I’m ready,” he said. “Words can’t really explain it. It just took so much for me to get to this point. I just feel like it’s [the] time for me to show the world.”
Rey Vargas: “I want to leave my mark as someone who achieved unique things.”
Rey Vargas believes that fighters must stand out from the crowd to build their brands.
That might explain why the 32-year-old Mexican will be fighting in a third weight class in his past four fights when he takes on O’Shaquie Foster for the vacant WBC 130-pound title Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio (Showtime).
Vargas (36-0, 22 KOs) wants to push his limits, which he believes will take him to the next level in his career.
“My ideal weight is 126,” Vargas told Boxing Junkie through a translator. “Yes … I had one fight at 122, two at 126 and now 130. Even though that’s unusual it’s my goal to achieve unusual things, to cross frontiers that others don’t dare go past. I want to leave my mark as someone who achieved unique things.
“And who knows? Maybe after 130, I’ll venture to lightweight (135).”
It should be noted that there was a two-year gap between his last fight at 122 and first at 126, in part the result of a broken leg suffered during a training run.
He was naturally bigger when he returned to boxing as he approached his 31st birthday. And he certainly looked comfortable at the new weight, nearly shutting out capable Leonard Baez in a 10-rounder in November 2021.
That earned him a shot at then-WBC beltholder Mark Magsayo, who had outpointed longtime champion Gary Russell Jr. to win the title in his previous fight.
Vargas relied on his superior skillset and experience to outclass Magsayo, although he suffered a flash knockdown in the ninth round. Two judges had Vargas winning 115-112, eight rounds to four. The third somehow scored a one-sided fight 114-113 for Magsayo.
Nevertheless, Vargas, who won a major title in a second division, made a strong statement.
“It was a really important win for my career,” he said. “Being a two-division champion is something I don’t take for granted. I also have to give credit to Mark Magsayo. He was the type of high-quality opponent to take my career to another level.”
Of course, a victory over Foster (19-2, 11 KOs) would give Vargas a world title in yet another division.
Will he stay at 130 if he wins? Would he really consider going up to 135 to seek a belt in a fourth weight class? Or will he go back down to what he acknowledges is the weight that best suits him, 126?
He’ll make that decision based on how he feels in the fight on Saturday and after discussing options with his team.
“It’s really about seeing what the landscape is like,” he said. “If, God willing, I win the title at 130, I could go down to 126. I could stay at super featherweight. I could go up to lightweight, which to be honest would be too big for me in terms of weight.
“I don’t take anything off the table. It’s about really setting new goals and stacking success upon success.”
Rey Vargas: “I want to leave my mark as someone who achieved unique things.”
Rey Vargas believes that fighters must stand out from the crowd to build their brands.
That might explain why the 32-year-old Mexican will be fighting in a third weight class in his past four fights when he takes on O’Shaquie Foster for the vacant WBC 130-pound title Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio (Showtime).
Vargas (36-0, 22 KOs) wants to push his limits, which he believes will take him to the next level in his career.
“My ideal weight is 126,” Vargas told Boxing Junkie through a translator. “Yes … I had one fight at 122, two at 126 and now 130. Even though that’s unusual it’s my goal to achieve unusual things, to cross frontiers that others don’t dare go past. I want to leave my mark as someone who achieved unique things.
“And who knows? Maybe after 130, I’ll venture to lightweight (135).”
It should be noted that there was a two-year gap between his last fight at 122 and first at 126, in part the result of a broken leg suffered during a training run.
He was naturally bigger when he returned to boxing as he approached his 31st birthday. And he certainly looked comfortable at the new weight, nearly shutting out capable Leonard Baez in a 10-rounder in November 2021.
That earned him a shot at then-WBC beltholder Mark Magsayo, who had outpointed longtime champion Gary Russell Jr. to win the title in his previous fight.
Vargas relied on his superior skillset and experience to outclass Magsayo, although he suffered a flash knockdown in the ninth round. Two judges had Vargas winning 115-112, eight rounds to four. The third somehow scored a one-sided fight 114-113 for Magsayo.
Nevertheless, Vargas, who won a major title in a second division, made a strong statement.
“It was a really important win for my career,” he said. “Being a two-division champion is something I don’t take for granted. I also have to give credit to Mark Magsayo. He was the type of high-quality opponent to take my career to another level.”
Of course, a victory over Foster (19-2, 11 KOs) would give Vargas a world title in yet another division.
Will he stay at 130 if he wins? Would he really consider going up to 135 to seek a belt in a fourth weight class? Or will he go back down to what he acknowledges is the weight that best suits him, 126?
He’ll make that decision based on how he feels in the fight on Saturday and after discussing options with his team.
“It’s really about seeing what the landscape is like,” he said. “If, God willing, I win the title at 130, I could go down to 126. I could stay at super featherweight. I could go up to lightweight, which to be honest would be too big for me in terms of weight.
“I don’t take anything off the table. It’s about really setting new goals and stacking success upon success.”
Fight Week: Rey Vargas and O’Shaquie Foster will fight for a vacant 130-pound title Saturday on Showtime from San Antonio.
FIGHT WEEK
Two-time titleholder Rey Vargas and O’Shaquie Foster will fight for a vacant 130-pound title Saturday night on Showtime from the Alamodome in San Antonio.
REY VARGAS (36-0, 22 KOS) VS. O’SHAQUIE FOSTER (19-2, 11 KOS)
When: Saturday, Feb. 11
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Alamodome, San Antonio
TV/Stream: Showtime
Division: Junior lightweights (130 pounds)
At stake: Vacant WBC title
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Vargas 2-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Mario Barrios vs. Jovanie Santiago, welterweights; Lenier Pero vs. Viktor Faust, heavyweights
Prediction: Vargas UD
Background: Vargas is back in full gear after a two-year layoff between 2019 and 2021, in part the result of a broken leg suffered during a training run. The 32-year-old Mexican, a former 122-pound titleholder, returned at 126 and nearly shut out Leonard Baez in November 2011 and then defeated then-WBC champ Mark Magsayo by a split decision to become a two-division titleholder in July of last year. Now he’s going for a third even though he says 126 is his natural weight. Vargas is a polished technician and had knockout power at 122 but his two fights at 126 went the distance. We’ll see whether he can hurt the naturally bigger Foster at 130. The 29-year-old Foster, a top U.S. amateur a decade ago, also is good technician but is stepping up in opposition for what is his first opportunity to fight for a major world title. The Houston fighter hit some speed bumps in 2015 and 2016, when he lost two of four fights. He then made some changes in his camp and hasn’t lost since. He delivered arguably his biggest victory when he stopped veteran Miguel Roman in nine rounds in November 2020. He then easily outpointed then-unbeaten Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov in his most recent fight, in March of last year, to earn a shot at the title.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
WEDNESDAY
Alejandro Gonzalez vs. Bryan Rivera, junior featherweights, Mexico City (ProBox TV).
FRIDAY
George Acosta vs. Marlin Sims, junior lightweights, Ontario, California (Thompson Boxing Facebook, YouTube)
SATURDAY
Ryan Rozicki vs. Arturs Gorlov, cruiserweights, Hamilton, Canada (FITE).
Fight Week: Rey Vargas and O’Shaquie Foster will fight for a vacant 130-pound title Saturday on Showtime from San Antonio.
FIGHT WEEK
Two-time titleholder Rey Vargas and O’Shaquie Foster will fight for a vacant 130-pound title Saturday night on Showtime from the Alamodome in San Antonio.
REY VARGAS (36-0, 22 KOS) VS. O’SHAQUIE FOSTER (19-2, 11 KOS)
When: Saturday, Feb. 11
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Alamodome, San Antonio
TV/Stream: Showtime
Division: Junior lightweights (130 pounds)
At stake: Vacant WBC title
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Vargas 2-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Mario Barrios vs. Jovanie Santiago, welterweights; Lenier Pero vs. Viktor Faust, heavyweights
Prediction: Vargas UD
Background: Vargas is back in full gear after a two-year layoff between 2019 and 2021, in part the result of a broken leg suffered during a training run. The 32-year-old Mexican, a former 122-pound titleholder, returned at 126 and nearly shut out Leonard Baez in November 2011 and then defeated then-WBC champ Mark Magsayo by a split decision to become a two-division titleholder in July of last year. Now he’s going for a third even though he says 126 is his natural weight. Vargas is a polished technician and had knockout power at 122 but his two fights at 126 went the distance. We’ll see whether he can hurt the naturally bigger Foster at 130. The 29-year-old Foster, a top U.S. amateur a decade ago, also is good technician but is stepping up in opposition for what is his first opportunity to fight for a major world title. The Houston fighter hit some speed bumps in 2015 and 2016, when he lost two of four fights. He then made some changes in his camp and hasn’t lost since. He delivered arguably his biggest victory when he stopped veteran Miguel Roman in nine rounds in November 2020. He then easily outpointed then-unbeaten Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov in his most recent fight, in March of last year, to earn a shot at the title.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
WEDNESDAY
Alejandro Gonzalez vs. Bryan Rivera, junior featherweights, Mexico City (ProBox TV).
FRIDAY
George Acosta vs. Marlin Sims, junior lightweights, Ontario, California (Thompson Boxing Facebook, YouTube)
SATURDAY
Ryan Rozicki vs. Arturs Gorlov, cruiserweights, Hamilton, Canada (FITE).
A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD Rey Vargas is going to be tough for anyone to beat. The new 126-pound titleholder, who earned his belt by outpointing Mark Magsayo on Saturday in San Antonio, has a combination of length (height and …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Rey Vargas is going to be tough for anyone to beat.
The new 126-pound titleholder, who earned his belt by outpointing Mark Magsayo on Saturday in San Antonio, has a combination of length (height and reach), ability and durability that could result in a dominating reign at featherweight.
The 5-foot-10½ Mexican didn’t give a perfect performance at the Alamodome. For example, I think it would’ve been easier for him to land his power shots if he threw more jabs. And he was hurt when he went down in Round 9, which could’ve led to disaster.
However, overall, he used his advantages effectively. He consistently landed hard power shots from long range, which, for much of the fight, served as an impenetrable barrier that left the limited Magsayo frustrated round after round.
Magsayo never gave up and rallied to some degree late in the fight – including the knockdown – but Vargas controlled the fight most of the way.
Thus, two judges gave him a well-deserved clear victory. Tim Cheatham and David Sutherland both scored the fight 115-112 (eight rounds to four) for Vargas, which reflected what happened in the ring. I had it 116-111 (nine rounds to three) for Vargas.
The third judge, Jesse Reyes, gave Magsayo the nod 114-113 (six rounds to six), which is inexplicable. He somehow had Magsayo leading after the first six rounds.
So let’s ignore Reyes’ scorecard and acknowledge what we saw: a one-sided victory by an excellent all-around fighter.
Magsayo could end up in good company. Vargas might also be too good for fellow titleholder Leo Santa Cruz (who he wants to fight next), top contender Brandon Figueroa or whomever he ends up facing in his coming fights.
Stay tuned.
BAD
Mark Magsayo (left) couldn’t figure out how to get inside on Rey Vargas. Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions
Magsayo turned out to be exactly what Vargas believed he was.
Vargas said in the lead up to the fight that the now-former champion was a so-so boxer who relies primarily on his legitimate punching power. That was evident on Saturday, as Magsayo could never figure out how to get inside consistently enough to win the fight.
Manny Pacquiao, Magsayo’s promoter, said his protégé’s footwork and head movement would be key for him. The problem is that Magsayo doesn’t have the foot speed to get in and out the way Pacman once did. Also, Freddie Roach, Magsayo’s trainer, told Boxing Junkie before the fight that his fighter needed work on his “movement.”
And I don’t understand why Magsayo didn’t throw more jabs, which might’ve opened the door to getting inside of Vargas’ long reach. Again, he had some success in the second half of the fight but never really solved the riddle Vargas presented.
Magsayo deserves credit for his accomplishments, particularly his victory over Gary Russell Jr. to win his title even if Russell was a one-handed fighter because of a shoulder injury.
However, he clearly has his limitations. The power is real; Vargas learned that, particularly in the ninth round. The knockdown was legit. The fact he has room to grow as a boxer also is real.
Can he improve? Obviously. He has a great trainer and he works hard. How could he not get better? And he’ll have extra motivation after his disappointing performance in his first and only title defense on Saturday.
We might not have seen the best of Magsayo.
WORSE
It had to happen.
Manny Pacquiao, 43, is scheduled to face Korean YouTuber DK Yoo (also 43) in a boxing exhibition on Dec. 10 after losing in his bid to become president of the Philippines. It will be the future Hall of Famer’s first fight since he lost his welterweight belt to Yordenis Ugas last August.
Pacquiao and Yoo reportedly will sign the contract on July 20 in Manila, after which more details will be announced.
Once again, I’m a capitalist. If there’s a demand to see Pacquiao in the ring with the experienced martial artist from Seoul or anyone else, he should be allowed to take advantage of it. He has a right to make a living, right?
I had just hoped that Pacquiao wouldn’t go down this road, where so many have traveled. Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr., Evander Holyfield and Julio Cesar Chavez are just a few of the once-great fighters who have taken part in exhibitions.
Some people enjoy them for the sack of nostalgia, I presume. I, for one, don’t want to be reminded of what they’ve lost in their later years. The speed, the reflexes, the agility. Gone, gone, gone. The brain might know what to do but the body is unable to follow orders.
I want to remember them as they were, when they ruled the sport with breathtaking ability.
I was reminded of a story someone once told me, about a one-time famous major league baseball player who dated some of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood. Many years later, when he was in his 70s, one of the actresses contacted him and suggested they have a reunion. The ball player’s response? “Let’s not. Let’s hold onto a wonderful memory instead.”
That’s how I feel about these exhibitions. I’d rather hold onto wonderful memories.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Figueroa (23-1-1, 18 KOs) should give up on the idea of altering his style, from a relentless pressure fighter to a more measured boxer-puncher. He tried boxing against Carlos Castro (27-2, 12 KOs) in his 126-pound fight on the Vargas-Magsayo card, which allowed Castro be competitive. Once Figueroa reverted back to the beast he was when he was a titleholder at 122 he overwhelmed his opponent and stopped him in six rounds. That version of Figueroa will be a handful for any of the top featherweights, including Vargas. … Lightweight contender Frank Martin (16-0, 12 KOs) gave a solid, but imperfect performance against Jackson Marinez (19-3, 7 KOs) on the Vargas-Magsayo card. He used his speed and tight technique to outbox Marinez in the first half of the fight, allowed Marinez back into the fight by lowering his output and then finally scoring a knockout in the 10th and final round. Martin is a talented fighter. He just needs more seasoning before he faces the likes of Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia. …
You have to admire longtime heavyweight contender Derek Chisora. The 38-year-old Londoner, who has been in so many wars, seemed to be finished when he lost a wide decision in his rematch with Joseph Parker last December. That was his third consecutive loss and seventh in his last 15. How much more could he give? Quite a bit, it turns out. Chisora (33-12, 23 KOs) fought his heart out to earn a split-decision victory in an entertaining rematch with 41-year-old Kubrat Pulev (29-3, 14 KOs) on Saturday at O2 Arena, his first victory since 2019. Chisora admitted afterward that, “I don’t have many left in me.” His dream opponent before he finally steps away is former champion Deontay Wilder. “Del Boy” earned that kind of opportunity with his gutsy performance on Saturday.
