A critical look at the past week in boxing
BIGGEST WINNER
O’Shaquie Foster – The new 130-pound beltholder was correct when he said after his break-through victory on Saturday that his style could pose problems for anyone. His combination of natural gifts and well-honed ability – particularly on defense – defused everything veteran Rey Vargas tried to do at the Alamodome in San Antonio, which resulted in a one-sided decision and the Texan’s first world title. And remember: Vargas was no easy mark. The Mexican was unbeaten and a two-division titleholder going into the fight for the vacant WBC title, although he was moving up in weight. And Foster (20-2, 12 KOs) made him look ordinary. And if he can make Vargas (36-1, 22 KOs) look ordinary … well, the others at or near his weight have been put on notice. I don’t know whether Foster is going to become a fan favorite because he’s primarily a technician but he’s going to be awfully difficult to beat.
BIGGEST LOSER
Rey Vargas – The 32-year-old from Mexico City is actually in a good position. Yes, he suffered the first loss in his 14-year career, a fate that is difficult for any fighter to swallow. And he failed in his bid to join a select fraternity by becoming a three-division champion. At the same time, he can say, “Hey, it was a stretch for me to move up to 130 pounds.” He seemed to imply after the fight he wasn’t comfortable at the weight, saying through a translator “The weight might have been a little difficult, maybe the power’s a little different. But I said from the beginning, it’s more the legs and stuff.” Vargas remains the WBC 126-pound titleholder. He can simply go back down to featherweight, where he won’t give up any advantages in terms of size. And if he decides to give 130 another go, he’ll probably have his hand raised the next time. It’s not as if he was blown out by Foster; he was competitive. Vargas has more success ahead him.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Foster said after the fight that he expects to make two mandatory defenses before he can think about unifying 130-pound titles, which is the result of winning a vacant title. First is line is No. 2-ranked Eduardo Hernandez, a 25-year-old slugger from Mexico. Hernandez (33-1, 30 KOs) isn’t the boxer Vargas is but he’s naturally bigger and a knockout artist. He would have to hurt Foster to beat him, which is possible if Foster isn’t careful. Hernandez can discombobulate anyone. He also can be hurt himself, as we saw when Roger Gutierrez stopped him with a single right hand in the first round in 2019. The second mandatory? That will be sorted out over the next several months. … Welterweight contender Mario Barrios (27-2, 18 KOs) stopped smallish Jovanie Santiago (14-3-1, 10 KOs) in the eighth round on the Foster-Vargas card, which keeps him relevant. The San Antonio native had lost his two previous fights, to Gervonta Davis (at 140) and Keith Thurman (147). Barrios landed more and more punishing blows as the fight progressed and the stoppage was brutal, which was a strong statement for him. Can he compete with the top 147-pounders? That will be difficult because he’s a limited boxer but he’ll always come to fight and has power.
News item: Canelo Alvarez (58-2-2, 39 KOs) and John Ryder reportedly are near a deal to fight on May 6 in Jalisco, Mexico, near Alvarez’s hometown of Guadalajara. I get that Alvarez wants to fight at home for the first time since he stopped Kermit Cintron in 2011. He wants to reward his fans. It’s just difficult to get excited about his opponent. Ryder (32-5, 18 KOs) is a solid fighter, as the Londoner has proved against quality opposition the past few years, but he’s not a serious threat to the pound-for-pounder. The matchup reminds me of the 1993 Julio Cesar Chavez–Greg Haugen fight that drew 136,000 to Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Great event, not competitive. Alvarez’s planned subsequent fight would be a challenge: He reportedly wants to face light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol a second time in September. Bivol defeated Alvarez by a unanimous decision last May. … I was pleased to hear that Anthony Joshua says a meeting with Deontay Wilder is inevitable. No one cares whether a title would be at stake. That matchup would be a blast. I was less pleased to hear that Wilder said he’d like to face mixed martial artist Francis Ngannou. That’s not a fight; it’s an execution. Wilder reportedly is frustrated with negotiations with Andy Ruiz Jr.
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