Robson Conceicao was taught a boxing lesson in his WBC super featherweight title bout with champion O’Shaquie Foster Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Foster learned a harsh lesson, though, after what seemed like a one-sided win: Never leave it in the hands of the judges.
Foster paid a huge price for not finishing Conceicao, a 2016 Olympic gold medalist from Brazil. Conceicao, who had been 0-2-1 in previous world title fights, landed only 11 percent of his punches according to CompuBox, but in an all-time inept decision, he won a split deciison to take Foster’s belt.
Anthony Lundy had it 116-112 and Paul Wallace had it 115-113 for Conceicao. Ronald McNair had it 116-112 for Foster. KevinIole.com scored it 117-111 for Foster. Now, Foster reminded no one of Arturo Gatti, and it was hardly a compelling performance, but he still appeared to win the fight.
“I thought it was a shutout,” Foster said. “I don’t know.”
A shutout in favor of Foster would have been far better than the travesty of justice that Lundy and Wallace perpretrated upon Foster, the 8,412 paying customers and an ESPN audience.
According to CompuBox, Foster landed 109 of 435, while Conceicao hit on 76 of 701. Conceicao was like the Cincinnati Reds’ Elly De La Cruz, who has already struck out 119 times in 332 at-bats to lead the majors. Conceicao seemed to swing and miss all night and the judges’ gave him a championpship for it.
“I don’t know, man,” Foster said. “I thought it was easy. I thought it was an easy fight. I didn’t get touched except with a headbutt. I don’t know, man.”
Conceicao said he felt all Foster did was run, and while it wasn’t a toe-to-toe slugfest by any means, at least Foster connected on punches.
That score ranks up there with Eugenia Williams’ card in favorite of Evander Holyfield over Lennox Lewis in 1999 among other horrendous verdicts.
