O’Shaquie Foster’s superb performance Saturday night secured his place on The Ring’s pound-for-pound list.
The unified junior lightweight champion entered at No. 10 after defeating former three-division champ Emanuel Navarrete by unanimous decision in their 130-pound title unification fight at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. Foster (26-3, 12 KOs) replaced Ring and WBO strawweight champ Oscar Collazo (15-0, 12 KOs) on our list, which was revealed Thursday during the newest episode of “Inside The Ring,” available on DAZN and The Ring’s YouTube channel.
Foster, 33, was effective offensively and defensively and knocked Navarrete to the canvas twice in the 12th round on his way to a wide win on two of three scorecards (118-108, 118-108, 115-111). The Orange, Texas, native won the previously vacant Ring title and added Navarrete’s IBF and WBO belts to his WBC crown.
Foster has only one loss — a controversial 12-round split decision to Robson Conceicao in July 2024 — since Rolando Chinea beat him by split decision in July 2016. His victories over Navarrete and former WBA featherweight champ Raymond Ford (18-2-1, 8 KOs), who Foster defeated by majority decision May 30 in Houston, have solidified his case for “Fighter of the Year” consideration.
Mexico’s Navarrete (40-3-1, 33 KOs) remains The Ring’s No. 1 contender at 130.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOZbiUG5j5I
Northern Ireland’s Anthony Cacace (25-1, 9 KOs), who owns the only recognized world title Foster needs to become undisputed champion, is ranked No. 2. Cacace is scheduled to defend his WBA belt in his hometown against former WBA featherweight champ Nick Ball (23-1-1, 13 KOs) on December 19 at The O2 Belfast.
Featherweight contender Albert “Chop Chop” Gonzalez also advanced in The Ring’s rankings after an impressive victory on the Foster-Navarrete undercard.
Gonzalez (19-0, 12 KOs), of Riverside, California, moved up three spots to No. 6 in the 126-pound division following his second-round knockout of Edward Vazquez (20-4, 6 KOs).
Dalton Smith and Alberto Puello maintained their positions in The Ring’s junior welterweight top 10 following their closely contested 140-pound title fight last week in Sheffield, England.
Sheffield’s Smith (20-0, 14 KOs) defeated Puello (25-2, 11 KOs) by unanimous decision to retain his WBC belt and remains The Ring’s No. 1 contender for Shakur Stevenson’s title. The Dominican kept the No. 3 spot in our top 10.
Keith Idec is a senior writer and columnist for The Ring. He can be reached on X @idecboxing
