On a weekend the place america celebrates its independence, there’s not a lot in the best way of MMA happening, except for ONE Championship and the LFA. Largely, Saturday night time goes to be dominated by the sweet science of boxing. Bob Arum‘s itinerary is full this weekend, with Top Rank heading to Prudential Heart in Newark, NJ.
All informed, absent of any late changes to the bout order on Saturday, the ultimate model of the ESPN card will characteristic eight matches contained in the squared circle. Stay protection begins with the undercard at 6 pm ET/ 3 pm PT on ESPN+ earlier than going to linear tv and ESPN correct at 8:30 pm ET/ 5:30 pm PT after NBA Summer League California Traditional basketball.
On the prime of the invoice are two title fights for WBC gold. Your doubleheader begins with the co-main occasion of the night.
WBC Championship Twin-Invoice Kicks Off at Junior Light-weight
Present WBC Junior Light-weight (Tremendous Featherweight) Champion O’Shaquie Foster (22-2, 12 KOs) defends his 130-lb. strap for the third time when he takes on challenger and No. 1 WBC contender Robson Conceicao (18-2-1, 1 NC, 9 KOs) within the co-headliner. This contest will probably be an marketed most of 12 rounds at three minutes per spherical.
¡Se está calentando la coestelar! 🔥
🇺🇸 O’Shaquie Foster vs Robson Conceição 🇧🇷#ShakurArtem | 6 DE JULIO | @ESPN pic.twitter.com/9aI7rPRB0I
— Prime Rank en Español (@trboxeo) July 3, 2024
The WBC Light-weight Championship struggle will instantly observe this co-main attraction. Present 135-lb. champion Shakur Stevenson (21-0, 6 KOs) faces off towards No. 7 contender Artem Harutyunyan (12-1, 5 KOs.) Extra on that struggle afterward within the week.
Fighter Comparability and Betting Odds
Heading into the co-main occasion on Saturday night time, Robson Conceicao stands because the taller contender at 5-foot-10, in comparison with the 5-foot-9 body of O’Shaquie Foster. The champion owns a 1.9-inch attain benefit (72 inches even to 70.1 inches) over the challenger going into this title struggle.
At the moment, the oddsmakers have O’Shaquie Foster put in as a -250 favourite on the cash line, with Robson Conceicao countering as a +200 underdog. When you plan on betting on this or another struggle occurring this weekend in fight sports activities, please wager responsibly.
Foster Teasing Transfer to Light-weight in Future
Champion O’Shaquie Foster has posted a document of 5-0 in his final 5 fights as a part of an ongoing 12-fight profitable streak. Again in February of this 12 months, he made a profitable second protection of the junior light-weight strap with a cut up determination victory over Abraham Nova (23-3, 16 KOs) after 12 rounds inside The Theater at Madison Sq. Backyard.
Though Foster has held the WBC Junior Light-weight Championship since February of 2023, he’s been considering a transfer as much as the 135-lb. division in brief order, one thing he informed MillCity Boxing about in a current interview.
“I can nonetheless make 130 [lbs.] I can see myself going to [135] round subsequent 12 months or one thing like that,” the champion started. “I can nonetheless make [130] for a pair extra fights. The final struggle with Nova, I take all of the credit score for that, being that the fights [were] so shut along with [Eduardo] Hernandez and with Nova. I actually wasn’t being attentive to my weight like I used to be alleged to. That was my dangerous.”
O’Shaquie Foster hasn’t turned 31 years of age but, along with his birthday not till the second half of September. A struggle versus Shakur Stevenson can be an appetizing pairing if it will definitely involves go. Will he efficiently defend the junior light-weight title on Saturday night time?
Conceicao Makes One other Bid for Junior Light-weight Strap Saturday Night time
Within the different nook, challenger Robson Conceicao has gone 2-1-1 with one no-contest in his final 5 fights. This previous April, he returned to the win column due to a seventh-round knockout victory over Jose Ivan Guardado Ortiz (15-2-1, 5 KOs) in Corpus Christi, TX.
Eight years in the past, in the course of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer season Olympic Video games, he gained the gold medal for his dwelling nation of Brazil and is keen to beat a feat that none of his countrymen have carried out earlier than: Taking prime Olympic honors in boxing and later following it up with a championship belt, which he talked about with Fights Around the World.
“Being the primary Brazilian to realize each an Olympic medal and knowledgeable world title is a dream that motivates me every single day,” Conceicao mentioned. “I wish to encourage the following technology of boxers and present that with dedication and perseverance, nice achievements within the sport are potential.”
He’s already gained as soon as on the world stage. Can he develop into the brand new champion this weekend?
Evaluation, Movie Examine, and Prediction
It’s a energy vs. energy contest on Saturday night time within the co-main occasion. Each champion and challenger have orthodox stances.
Foster Can Go Late Into the Battle
Generally in fight sports activities, the fast end isn’t at all times assured. As a way to get the win, a fighter might must go deep, like Foster did in his October struggle versus Eduardo Hernandez.
Through the twelfth and remaining spherical, after almost stopping Hernandez a spherical earlier, the champion scored a knockdown earlier than piecing Hernandez up with a barrage of head pictures to sit down him down once more.
Whereas Hernandez stayed within the struggle, it was clear that Foster was in full management down the stretch, touchdown one other flurry of pictures, with the official lastly intervening with 22 seconds left on the clock. Foster absolutely lived as much as his nickname of “Ice Chilly” that night time.
If he can go away Robson Conceicao wobbling on Saturday night time, he’ll dwell as much as that nickname once more.
Conceicao Has to Outpace Foster
Within the different nook, Robson Conceicao wants to show up the quantity. That’s how he won gold in Rio in 2016. Through the first spherical of a scheduled three, he got here out swinging after the bell, throwing and touchdown combos whereas peppering Sofiane Oumiha with a counter proper afterward within the spherical.
Furthermore, Conceicao used his head motion advantageously, retaining Oumiha guessing. This continued all through a lot of the gold medal match that night time.
Robson Conceicao’s key to victory on Saturday night time: Preserve his foot on the fuel pedal.
Remaining Ideas
This junior light-weight championship is certain to be a dramatic affair. Pop the corn forward of time, since you won’t be capable of as soon as the struggle begins.
Prediction: Robson Conceicao by Unanimous Resolution.
