O’Shaquie Foster (26-3, 12 KOs) defeated Emanuel Navarrete (40-3, 33 KOs) by unanimous decision to unify three super featherweight world titles on Saturday at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
Foster retained his WBC championship and added Navarrete’s WBO and IBF belts after 12 rounds, winning by scores of 115-111 and 118-108 twice after dropping the Mexican fighter twice in the final round.
The American’s superior timing, counterpunching and defensive movement proved decisive against Navarrete, who maintained an aggressive pace but struggled to consistently land clean punches.
The opening rounds featured competitive exchanges, with Navarrete pressing forward and throwing powerful shots from unconventional angles.
However, Foster increasingly established control through a majority of the rounds, landing accurate right hands and countering Navarrete’s attacks while limiting his opponent’s effectiveness.
Navarrete threatened with uppercuts and combinations but entered the final round trailing on the scorecards. Foster scored two knockdowns in the 12th, both with right hands, to secure the victory.
Foster expressed interest in facing the winner of Anthony Cacace and Nick Ball’s WBA title fight in December. The winner of a proposed Foster vs. Cacace-Ball winner would become the division’s undisputed champion.
Earlier at the event, Albert Gonzalez knocked out Edward Vazquez in the second round and Frank Martin stopped Tarik Zaina in the seventh.