O’Shaquie Foster vs. Rocky Hernandez Press Conference & Weigh-in Video
RUNNING ORDER AND WEIGHTS
LIVE ON DAZN FROM 7PM ET
8 x 3 mins Middleweight contest
Javid Ramirez (160.6lbs) vs. Jose Rosas (160.8lbs)
Durango, Mexico Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
Followed by
10 x 3 mins Super-Featherweight contest
Eduardo Nunez (132.4lbs) vs. Oscar Escandon (132.8lbs)
Los Mochis, Mexico Ibague, Colombia
Followed by
10 x 3 mins WBA International Heavyweight contest
Justis Huni (237.2lbs) vs. Andrew Tabiti (221.2lbs)
Brisbane, Australia Las Vegas, Nevada
Followed by
12 x 3 mins WBC World Super-Featherweight title
O’Shaquie Foster (130lbs) vs. Eduardo Hernandez (130lbs)
Houston, Texas Mexico City, Mexico
WEIGH-IN IMAGES: Click here to access the gallery of images from Friday’s weigh-in in Cancun
WEIGH-IN FOOTAGE: Click here to watch the weigh-in on Matchroom’s YouTube channel
PRESS CONFERENCE IMAGES: Click here to access the gallery of images from today’s press conference in Cancun
PRESS CONFERENCE FOOTAGE: Click here to watch the final press conference on Matchroom’s YouTube channel
FIRST FACE-OFF IMAGES: Click here to access the gallery of images from yesterday’s first face off in Cancun
FIRST FACE-OFF FOOTAGE: Click here to watch the first face-off on Matchroom’s YouTube channel
FOSTER, HERNANDEZ AND HUNI WORKOUT IMAGES: Click here to access the gallery of images from Foster, Hernandez and Justis Hunt working out in Cancun
MEDIA DAY IMAGES: Click here to access the gallery of images from the media day in Cancun
PRESS CONFERENCE FOOTAGE: Click here to watch the final press conference on Matchroom’s YouTube channel
FIRST FACE-OFF IMAGES: Click here to access the gallery of images from yesterday’s first face off in Cancun
FIRST FACE-OFF FOOTAGE: Click here to watch the first face-off on Matchroom’s YouTube channel
FOSTER, HERNANDEZ AND HUNI WORKOUT IMAGES: Click here to access the gallery of images from Foster, Hernandez and Justis Hunt working out in Cancun
MEDIA DAY IMAGES: Click here to access the gallery of images from the media day in Cancun
EDITORIAL USAGE ONLY. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom or Melina Pizano/Matchroom
FOSTER: YOU’VE ONLY SEEN 50 PERCENT OF ME
WBC champion planning break out performance in Cancun – and issues Cordina KO warning. O’Shaquie Foster is ready to shine as he makes the first defense of his WBC World Super-Featherweight title against Rocky Hernandez on Saturday night in Cancun, Mexico, live worldwide on DAZN – and the champion believes he will display his full arsenal on the night as he sent a chilling KO message to IBF ruler Joe Cordina.
Foster (20-2 11 KOs) landed the vacant title by widely outpointing another Mexican, Rey Vargas, in San Antonio in February, and in facing mandatory challenger Hernandez (34-1 31 KOs) on Saturday night, ‘Ice Water’ will fight twice in a calendar year for the first time since 2019.
The 30 year old champion respects the task in front of him in the form of travelling to the backyard of the Mexican KO machine, but Foster says that those tasks are the ones that will get the best of him as he plans to breakout in style and move closer to the unification bout he craves with Cordina, who defends his title next weekend in Monaco against Edward Vazquez, live on DAZN.
“The fight excites me because I’m getting back in the ring, I’m finally fighting twice in one year and we’re going to his home patch,” said Foster. “I think people have only seen 50 per cent of me, there’s still a whole other side of my game that they haven’t seen yet, but that’s what I plan on putting out there.
“I’m the best in the division. I’m the most versatile because I can give you a boxing lesson, I can walk you down, you have to pay attention to me because I’ll show you. It’s my first title defense, I feel like it’s going to be a fight that I can show a lot of my versatility and my style, I’ve never fought on DAZN too, so I am excited by that.
“My mentality separates me from the rest. I can go anywhere to fight, it doesn’t matter. I feel I have been through so much that a fight is nothing, I just have to get in there in shape and everything will work itself out. You can take me out of my own territory, but I still handle my business, so what’s it going to be like when I am comfortable?
“Joe Cordina is the fight I wanted now but I have to take care of the mandatory. I would love that fight in the future, next, but I am not looking past Rocky. I am looking to see Joe though, I know I would dominate him, I’d stop him in the later rounds.
“Winning the title was the biggest moment of my life because of all the ups and downs. Six years ago, I probably wouldn’t have known where I was going. I was 10-2, in and out of jail, stuff like that, so to see the turnaround from that and now be a World champion, it’s amazing to me but it keeps me focused to know what I could go back to if I don’t keep it going.
“I know a lot is against me and it’s not going to be easy, but I knew that when I won the title, so I am just ready to prove myself. Rocky is an aggressive fighter; he comes forward and likes to mix it up and use his power. We tried to fight him a couple of years ago, so I am excited as he’s been on our radar and we’ve been paying attention to him, so there’s nothing out of the blue. We’re ready.
“You have to go off the opponents Rocky has fought to get the KOs. Like I said, we tried to fight, it could have even happened a couple of months ago. So, I don’t know, they say he’s a KO artist, but they are going to have to show me. I have power too. If you stack up our opponents and the quality, taking nothing away from him because I’m training like hell for him, but I would have washed his opponents in the first round. But I know he’s good, I’ve been training hard for months and I’m just ready for this.
“I love the Mexican fans, it’s a real fighting country. I’ve already taken Rey Vargas’ fans so I’m coming for his fans, it’s all love, but they’ll be my fans after I win. We aren’t going home without the belt, we’re coming in strong, smart; ice water, he’s going to shock the world again. It could be a late stoppage or he might get clipped out early if he runs into the wrong thing.”
Foster and Hernandez clash on a big night of action in Cancun, as Australian Heavyweight Justis Huni (7-0 4 KOs) fights for the first time under the Matchroom banner against Andrew Tabiti (20-1 16 KOs) for the WBA International title, Super-Featherweight KO machine Eduardo Nunez (24-1 24 KOs) will be looking to continue his 100 per cent KO record against Oscar Escandon (27-6 18 KOs) and the show kicks off with unbeaten Middleweight Javid Beltran (10-0 4 KOs) takes on Jose Rosas Meza (4-2 3 KOs) over eight rounds.
O’SHAQUIE FOSTER VS. ROCKY HERNANDEZ FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES AND IMAGES
WBC World Super-Featherweight title on the line in Cancun on Saturday night
Eddie Hearn
This is a classic fight for the most historic of the belts, the WBC, and one steeped in the history of Mexican boxing. You have the American slickster, the champion O’Shaquie Foster against Eduardo ‘Rocky’ Hernandez, one of the most brutal and hard-hitting Super-Featherweights I’ve ever seen. It’s a fantastic 50-50 match-up and it’s supported by some great action on the undercard.
O’Shaquie Foster – defends WBC World Super-Featherweight title against Eduardo ‘Rocky’ Hernandez
I’m feel right at home. I’ve been embraced by the fans, there’s been much love, and I am used to being in this position so it’s easy and cool for me.
I don’t know what they are looking at, but if you look at my fights, I have presented a different challenge to anybody in front of me. I might fight you southpaw the whole fight, I might fight you orthodox the whole fight. But from round one to 12, I can put you down on the canvas, I’ve shown that in several fights. All the talking is done. They say they have been calling for this fight, it kind of sounds crazy because we could have fought in the summertime, he fought Hector Garcia because he wanted a tune-up fight instead of coming for the World title. I hadn’t fought for a year when I went into the World title fight with Vargas, no excuses. They have nothing but excuses and those that know the background know that they have been running from me.
I plan on trying to unify and try to become undisputed. We aren’t looking past Rocky but I feel like this is the beginning to the world seeing what I have to give, and you’ll start to see it on Saturday.
Rocky Hernandez – challenges O’Shaquie Foster for the WBC World Super-Featherweight title
On Saturday you are going to see a new World champion, and that’s me. I don’t know why he is saying I was scared to fight him; I’m not scared of anyone, and it is his fault that the fight went to purse bids. I’m bringing the war on Saturday, and I hope he is ready for it because I am taking that title home and will show exactly who Eduardo ‘Rocky’ Hernandez is.
They are right in one thing, that this fight does not go the distance, but it will be from an Eduardo Hernandez KO. I am going to show why I deserve to be here on Saturday night.
I’ve wanted this from the very first day I took up boxing. I’ve not cared about who I faced, I have complete hunger and ambition to get my hand raised on Saturday and what better way to do it than have my family alongside me to see me take that belt home.
Eduardo Nunez – takes on Oscar Escandon over ten rounds at Super-Featherweight
It’s great to be here once again on a big Matchroom show. We’ll be going out there looking for the knockout, but we are prepared for whatever rounds may come. It’s also great to have this opportunity to come to Cancun and fight, and in terms of opponents being afraid to fight me, we have complete faith that we will get the opportunities and get a World title fight in 2024.
It would be lovely for Rocky to get his hand raised and win the World title, and I would love in the future to fight for the WBC belt, hopefully I can face the winner in the future, and I have faith that I will.
Oscar Escandon – takes on Eduardo Nunez over ten rounds at Super-Featherweight
Thank you for the opportunity, I know Nunez is a great fighter, strong, very good, but I have my own abilities and capacities, and I have fought for World titles. I’m very well prepared and ready to take this victory home with me.
Justis Huni – takes on Andrew Tabiti for the WBA International Heavyweight title
It’s massive for my career going forward and I’m excited to be a part of this card. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be fighting in front of new eyes and I am ready to go on Saturday night.
I’m here to prove why I belong at the top with the other name, and this is my time to shine, and what better platform to do it on as the co-main event of a World title fight, and you better believe I’m going to bring my best.
We have both got good boxing IQ’s and I think it’s going to be a chess match at the start. But I believe I have the goods to go all the way and get the win.
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