Robson Conceicao swipes at the style of O’Shaquie Foster who swiftly bites back

The biggest talking point of Saturday’s Robson Conceicao-O’Shaquie Foster rematch remains what led to its creation – the highly contentious scorecards that defined their first encounter in July.

Most observers felt that Foster deserved to keep his WBC junior lightweight strap only for two of the three cards to favour the Brazilian. At the final press conference today, inside Verona’s Turning Stone Resort & Casino where the fight will take place, both combatants seemed a little weary when answering questions on the subject again.

“This fight is personal to me because I feel like a champion is someone who goes out there and doesn’t run around, doesn’t throw one or two shots, and then just runs away,” said Conceicao, 19-2-1 (9 KOs).

Foster, 22-3 (12 KOs), responded: “I hope you know the name of the game is to hit and not get hit.” Later, the 31-year-old again citied a desire not to dwell on the controversy of the first encounter.

The 36-year-old champion, meanwhile, promised to be better in the rematch, talking of a training camp riddled with injury and poor health first time around.

“I had a really good camp [this time] but for the first fight I didn’t,” he said. “I had a lot of pain, I had a sickness but this time I’ve been healthy, it’s been clean. I’m going to win in better fashion next time.”

Foster, who unsurprisingly also indicated he will improve in part two, replied: “I’m glad he had the best camp, we did too. Everyone goes in with injuries and sickness, so I don’t want to hear that excuse.”

Whether the victory was merited or not, Conceicao goes into the record books as a world champion at the fourth time of asking after losses to Oscar Valdez, Shakur Stevenson and a draw with Emanuel Navarrete. The theme of perseverance has been carried over from his amateur days.

“I was very happy to become a world champion in my fourth attempt, like I won an Olympic gold medal [in 2016] in my third attempt,” he said. “In doing those things I kept promises to my daughters. After this fight, Brazil will still have a world champion.”