Foster Defeats Vargas … Barrios Defeats Santiago … Pero Defeats Faust … at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas

By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)

Boxing is the theater of the unexpected.  This past Saturday, February 11, 2023, was the 33rd anniversary of the biggest boxing upset in boxing history when Buster Douglas dominated and defeated Mike Tyson as a 42 to 1 underdog.  In boxing, this is a sport where a fighter can come back from a ten-round deficit with one punch.

Ukrainian fighter Viktor Faust was taking command of his fight with Cuban fighter Lenier Pero as I had him up 5 rounds to 2 going into the eighth round.  Statistically speaking it was close on compubox numbers but Faust jab dominated the fight, but Pero did have his moments.  In the eighth round, Faust started with his jab before a body shot by Pero slowed Faust down and then Pero landed two big shots that had Faust defenseless on the rope.   Faust suffered a delayed response to the body shot and the referee stopped the fight as he noticed Faust was incapacitated.   Pero down by three rounds on my card, erased that lead with one body shot followed by two nasty head shots.

Mario Barrios simple dominated Jovanie Santiago and broke a two-fight losing streak. Compubox states told the while story as he simply won every round easily and connected on three times the punches as Santiago and connected on 41 percent versus only 14 percent for Santiago.  The only real question was when Santiago corner would stop the fight as it was obvious in the second half of, he fights, Barrios was too strong for Santiago and Santiago was not threatening him.

The main event was Ray Vargas going for a third divisional crown against O’Shaquie Foster who came in the fight with two losses, but his previous fight was an upset victory against the previously undefeated Muhammadkhuja Yaquboy and now he was facing the undefeated Vargas as they went for the WBC super featherweight title.

The one thing that was obvious was Foster, the quicker of the two fighters and on occasion, the smaller Foster would press the action and force Vargas to retreat.   Foster defensive skills was on display as he was able to avoid many of Vargas shots. 

I had Foster up by 59-55 but Vargas won three of the next four rounds as he became more aggressive and started to press the issue.  I had the bout 96 to 94 for Foster with the championship rounds left.  In the past Vargas was able to dominate the later rounds but, in this fight, Foster boxing skills and ability to counter determined the final two rounds.  He landed quick combinations, left jab followed by right hands and Vargas found himself backing up.   Foster had 32 punches landed versus only ten for Vargas. 

Vargas found it hard to connect consistently as he landed only 19 percent of his punches versus 23 percent for Foster.   Foster landed 43 more punches throughout the entire bout and had more punches landed in nine of the rounds.  I had Foster win 116 to 112 and the judges beat it 119-109, 117-111, and 116-112 plus Showtime had it 116-112. 

Vargas failed to win his third title and the underdog Foster won his first title.

 

One thought on “Foster Defeats Vargas … Barrios Defeats Santiago … Pero Defeats Faust … at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas

  1. Foster boxed beautifully. Great job! Pero and Faust have some skills, but look destined to be journeymen.

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