Yardbarker
x

A high-profile clash between Stephen Fulton Jr. and O’Shaquie Foster will move forward Saturday in San Antonio but not for the title both men originally prepared to contest. What began as a fight for Foster’s WBC junior lightweight (130-pound) championship has transformed into an interim lightweight (135-pound) title bout, following a late and controversial ruling by the WBC long after Friday’s weigh-in concluded.

Fulton (23-1, 8 KOs), moving up from featherweight (126 pounds), weighed in at 132 pounds, two pounds over the super featherweight limit. Under typical sanctioning protocol, Foster (23-3, 12 KOs) would have been allowed to keep his title with a win, and the belt would have been declared vacant if Fulton had pulled the upset.

For several hours, that appeared to be the final outcome of Friday’s weigh-in proceedings.

However, in a rare and swift reversal, the WBC stepped in after the ceremony and re-sanctioned the matchup as an interim lightweight title fight at 135 pounds. The decision effectively wipes away Fulton’s penalty for missing weight and makes him eligible to win a title on Saturday just not the one he initially sought.

The winner will now become the mandatory challenger for Shakur Stevenson’s WBC lightweight championship.

Shakur Stevenson Already Heading for Higher Weight Class

Stevenson, the reigning WBC lightweight titleholder. Is expected to vacate soon as he moves up to 140 pounds to challenge Teofimo Lopez for the WBO junior welterweight title on Jan. 31 in New York. That development increases the relevance of Saturday’s revised stakes: Fulton or Foster could soon find themselves fighting for a full lightweight world title.

Fulton’s Move Up Was Already Unusual Now It’s More Complicated

Stephen Fulton, 31, captured the WBC featherweight title in February and opted to bypass a campaign at 130 pounds entirely. Jumping straight into a would-be title shot against Foster. His struggle to make junior lightweight became apparent throughout fight week and culminated in Friday’s weight miss.

The bout was originally scheduled for Oct. 25 on the undercard of Sebastian Fundora vs. Keith Thurman. Before that entire show was postponed when Fundora withdrew due to a hand injury. The rescheduled date now carries even more dramatic twists.

Saturday Night Just Became Even More Intriguing

What was already a compelling matchup has turned into one of the more unusual sanctioning pivots in recent memory. Stephen Fulton can now become an interim lightweight titleholder despite missing weight for a bout that was booked at 130. Foster, meanwhile, tries to win at 135 while keeping his super featherweight belt intact.

The stakes, the weight, and the implications have all shifted but the fight will go on.

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA.