Boxing
O'Shaquie Foster vs. Stephen Fulton Jr.: Who has the edge heading into their fight?
Masoud vs. McGrail - Saturday - live on DAZN
O’Shaquie Foster and Stephen Fulton Jr. had heated and entertaining verbal exchanges during the buildup to their fight, with the two boxers even jawing at each other during their faceoff following Thursday’s press conference.
But now the talking ends as Foster puts his WBC super featherweight world championship on the line against Stephen Fulton Jr. in the co-main event to Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz clashing with Lamont Roach Jr. It all takes place Saturday night at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, and live on pay-per-view.
Foster (23-3, 12 KOs) last took back his WBC title after earning a split-decision win over Robson Conceicao in their November 2024 rematch, exacting revenge from a highly-controversial Conceicao win by the same result the July prior. He faces Fulton Jr. (23-1, 8 KOs) who became a two-division world champion by defeating Brandon Figueroa via unanimous decision to claim the WBC featherweight title in their February rematch.
Will Foster use this platform to showcase his skills and silence any doubters as the champ? Or will Fulton Jr.’s ring command pave the way towards another boxing clinic for a title reign in a third division?
DAZN News analyzes who has the edge entering this highly-anticipated super featherweight championship bout.
Boxing Styles
O’Shaquie Foster works a disciplined style, able to catch and shoot against opponents skillfully with pointed counterpunching.
Although he has sometimes been criticized for not letting his hands go enough, the WBC super featherweight world champion is stinging with his output and pressure when he cranks both up.
That might be something that Stephen Fulton Jr. has to deal with. The two-division champ works behind an educated jab, often making opponents pay dearly for over aggression.
Will this bout play out like a boxing chess match with both men trying to outpoint their way to victory? Or will Foster force the issue with his pressure?
This clash of styles is a hard one to call, but the slight edge goes to Fulton Jr. due to his smoother movement around the ring.
Edge: Fulton Jr.
Power
The angles Foster is able to generate give him the edge in the power department.
Plus, it is where he touts four more knockouts than Fulton Jr. for whatever that’s worth.
The right hook he was able to angle and detonate onto Conceicao's temple to buckle the Brazilian’s knees in their rematch was a prime example of how Foster’s power could zap opponents.
Edge: Foster
Mental Warfare
Throughout the buildup it has appeared as if Fulton Jr.'s words have irked Foster more, so read into that as little or much as you’d like toward living rent-free in the champion’s mind.
On top of that, Fulton Jr.’s quality of opponents, which have included pound-for-pound ruler Naoya Inoue and former champions Figueroa and Angelo Leo, have him a bit more seasoned.
Whether that translates to a win remains to be seen, though Fulton Jr.’s slightly richer experience gives him the advantage within this mental warfare.
Edge: Fulton Jr.
Who has the edge in Foster vs. Fulton Jr.?
DAZN News has the edge, 2-1, in favor of Fulton Jr. who is also installed as the slight favorite by oddsmakers. If Foster is going to prove all wrong, he might be forced to do it every bit with his ring IQ and adjustments on the fly. Fulton Jr. is that much of a constantly thinking, adapting fighter.
Sign up to DAZN Ultimate Tier to get PPV's included in your subscriptionÂ
Subscribe to DAZN's new Ultimate Tier to get a minimum of 12 PPV events included per year, including The Ring V and Lopez vs. Stevenson, on top of another 185 fight nights. Plus Serie A football, watch on multiple devices, and many more extra benefits.
Sign up for £22.99 in the UK / $44.99 in the U.S. More details here.
