Rey Vargas vs O'Shaquie Foster – Who wins and why?
By James Blears
Undefeated Mexican sensation Rey Vargas (36-0, 22KO) goes for a WBC world title in a third division, taking on WBC Silver super-featherweight titlist O'Shaquie Foster (19-2, 11KO) for the vacant WBC super-featherweight Green and Gold Belt at the Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas on February 11th.
32-year-old two-weight world champion Rey with his pristine, crystal clear undefeated record has already reigned as WBC super-bantamweight and featherweight champion. In his most recent fight against Freddie Roach protege Mark Magsayo, also in the Alamodome, he got up from a counter-right knockdown in the ninth, to win a split decision and, with it, the featherweight title.
29-year-old Texan O'Shaquie “Ice Water” Foster is looking to pour cold water on Rey's sizzling ambitions. His two losses eight and seven years ago, against Samuel Teah by UD, and then against Rolando Chinea by SD, were both at lightweight. He has never been defeated as a super-featherweight.
He recalls: “I had a couple of setbacks, had to get focused and weed out bad energy in my life. Now, I'm ready. I'll be the first world titlist to come from my City, so I'll be making history for Orange, Texas, and raising the bar for the next generation. I'm going to show the world that I belong and that I'm here to stay.”
Rey begs to differ, stating: “I want to make history and do something that I'll remember for the rest of my career. My power is definitely going to translate to 130-pounds. The work I've put into my power during my training will definitely work in my favour.”
Hopefully this will bring about a sea change, because Rey has won all of his previous eight boutts on points. We have to go all the way back to 2016 to when he TKO'd Alexander Munoz in the fifth for a stoppage. That's not to say that Rey can inflict his share of constitutional discomfort. His body punching wears down opponents and his left jab, reinforced by an albatross like reach are useful tools, which he uses so effectively.
Some official records state Rey is five feet seven inches with a reach of seventy one and a half inches, but this is not the case. In person, Rey is appreciably taller than that. He says his height is one meter eighty, which is five feet ten. He remains coy about his reach, but it could extend as far as seventy four inches. While O'Shaquie is stands five feet eight and a half inches tall and his reach is seventy two inches.
Perhaps it's because Rey is so slim and has towered over opponents in the other divisions that he seems so much taller? He now faces someone who is almost the same size and this will pose a different and very demanding test. The way Rey could solve it is via his considerable speed, agility and mobility. He can maintain an able high tempo pace of fighting for all 12 rounds. And over the last few years, he's needed to. Conclusive firepower has been lacking lately.
This is O'Shaquie's big chance and he'll do everything in his power to capitalise upon it. The skilled switch-hitter will be coming forward looking for the elusive Rey.
Rey says that he has a hunch that O'Shaquie is going to be aggressive and try to force the pace. Foster counters by saying: “I come out with different styles every time I fight.” To which Rey dismissed: “It's impossible for him to have a totally different style in each fight, especially at this level. He knows he's got to make some changes to have a chance of winning.”
Physically Rey has a very small chin yet Mark Magsayo found it and put him down. Previous to this, Franklin Manzanilla dropped him with a left hook in the second round of their 2019 fight,but Rey got up, fought on and won via UD. He was badly cut over both eyes against Azat Hovhannisyan, but won by a wide UD. Rey is durable and resourceful when he's up against it. He has been knocked down but never stopped.
Rey defeated Tomoki Kameda by UD on July 13th 2019. After this he broke his left leg in a fall and returned with his debut as a featherweight winning against Leonardo Baez on November 6th 2021, with no visible ring rust. Then he successfully outfought Mark Magsayo, who was 24-0 at the time.
Foster is a decent punch picker. After 11 months of inactivity, he notably stopped Mickey Roman with a ninth-round KO in the second defence of the WBC Silver Title he had won off previously undefeated Jon Fernandez. He put the all-action Mickey down with a straight right in round one. The end came in nine after a pinpoint left hook. To get here he defeated number two ranked Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov by a UD, coming on strong in the final round, decking his opponent with a powerful overhand left.
Vargas has said that at this heavier weight he's gained strength and muscle, but observes that the power of opponents is obviously also going to be a lot more. O'Shaquie is a natural super featherweight. He hasn't had to gain weight or muscle.
A win for Rey would place him in the very select ranks of Mexican fighters who have won world titles in three or more weight categories. Those glorious superstars are: Julio Cesar Chavez, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, Jorge Arce and Saul Canelo Alvarez.
Rey will use speed and range, but at some point in the fight, he'll encounter O'Shaquie`s counter-punching ability. Only then and there, that'll be an interesting test.
Tale of the Tape
REY VARGAS (Mexico)
WBC Featherweight World Champion
Former WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion / 5 Title Defenses
Age: 32
DOB: November 25, 1990
Residence: Otumba, México, Mexico
Birthplace: Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
Record: 36-0, 22 KOs
Rounds: 222
World championship fights: 7-0, 0KO
Height: 5’7” – 170cm
Reach: 70.5” – 179cm
Stance: Orthodoz
Manager: Al Haymon
Trainer: Carlos Vargas
O’SHAQUIE “Ice Water” FOSTER (USA)
Ranked WBC No.1 at Super Featherweight
Age: 29
DOB: September 17, 1993
Residence: Houston, Texas
Birthplace: Orange, Texas
Record: 19-2, 11 KOs
Rounds: 110
World championship fights: 0-0
Height: 5’6” – 168cm
Reach: 71.5” – 181cm
Stance: Orthodox
Manager: Keith Mills
Trainer: Bobby Benton
Top 10 WBC super-featherweight champions
1. Julio Cesar Chavez (Mexico)
2. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US)
3. Alexis Arguello (Nicaragua)
4. Hector Camacho (P. Rico)
5. Azumah Nelson (Ghana)
6. Gabriel Elorde (Phil)
7. Erik Morales (Mexico)
8. Marco Antonio Barrera (Mexico)
9. Ricardo Arredondo (Mexico)
10. James Leija (US)