Rey Vargas, O’Shaquie Foster Take Subtle Verbal Jabs At Each Other Ahead Of February Title Fight
They're fighting for the junior lightweight belt.
Rey Vargas is looking to join a club of the elites: three-division champions.
But first, he must face a hungry O’Shaquie Foster for the vacant WBC junior lightweight title on February 11. It’ll serve as the main event of a Showtime pay-per-view. During Wednesday’s virtual press conference, both fighters emphasized that they’re for whatever their opponent has to bring.
“I’ve fought all kinds of styles, so nothing really surprised me. I have a hunch that Foster is going to come forward and be aggressive. If he fights me tactically, then I’ll be ready for that too,” Vargas told media, including FIGHT SPORTS.
“I don’t know why he thinks I’m going to come out aggressively at him. I come out with different styles every time I fight. If he tries to box me or walk me down, good luck. He needs to worry about what he’s going to do,” Foster responded.
Vargas, who still holds the WBC featherweight title, most recently dethroned Mark Magsayo in July. When asked if Magsayo was the biggest win of his career, he said:
“I had a lot of important fights before the Mark Magsayo fight. I didn’t go from the bottom to the top in one fell swoop, I took the steps that were necessary to get to where I am.”
Vargas previously held the WBC title at 122 pounds from 2017 to 2019.
Now, moving up to 130 pounds will give him a shot at adding his name to a list of greats, but it’ll also re-open discussions to face Leo Santa Cruz at 126, which he is still hoping to happen.
But, for now, he’s keeping his focus on Foster, who has earned his first-ever title shot. Foster is on a nine-fight winning streak and told the media that he’s not feeling much pressure.
“It didn’t matter who I was facing. I was ready for anybody. It just makes it better that he’s an undefeated two-time champion. He’s a current champion, so I should get all my props after the fight,” Foster said.
Press conference host Brian Custer alluded to Foster how it seemed like the media has already crowned Vargas as a three-division champion.
Foster responded and said, “the fans can’t fight for him.”