Oshakie Foster is about to realize one of nearly every boxer’s biggest dreams: fighting center stage in the main event of Mecca.
But not too long ago, as he pondered his future in sports, his center stage was in the middle of a prison cell.
Foster was charged with attempted murder in 2017 and subsequently booked into the Harris County Jail in Houston.
However, the charge was reduced to aggravated assault, and while Foster is still on probation, he only spent four months in prison.
Seven years later, the 30-year-old Foster (21-2) is fighting for the WBC junior lightweight world title against Abraham Nova (23-1) at the Theater at Madison Square Garden on Friday night on ESPN. Fight a defensive battle.
“I realized you don’t have anything. If you fail, you have nothing,” Foster told the Post. “No one is coming for me. ??? Where I was when I was in that position. [after prison]I was staying on a friend’s couch and literally had to stay at a FEMA house in Houston.
“When you realize, ‘I’m not going to get anything by having my back against the wall. I’m going to give it my all and see where it takes me.’ What else do you have? You don’t have anything. That’s what I got out of it. We’re just going to lock it in.”
Prior to his incarceration, Foster lost two of his four matches to lower-tier opponents, and legal issues put his career in further jeopardy.
But it was in prison that Foster’s career, and more importantly, his life, changed.
Terrence Crawford’s undisputed super lightweight bout against Julius Indongo on ESPN will be broadcast on Foster’s prison TV, where Crawford KOs Indongo in three rounds to become the undisputed champion. I was watching.
Foster was convinced that he was nowhere near as good as Crawford, and saw two paths in front of him: one that would lead him to prison, and one that would lead to glory. It is.
After his release, Foster started down the latter path.
And he hasn’t looked back.
“You have to have that feeling inside you, ‘Okay, this is not for nothing,'” Foster said. “Because there are a lot of times when you’re training and you’re just there and you’re working hard and it feels like you’re not making any progress, so it’s always for something.”
Friday night, it will be Foster’s turn to watch Crawford from prison on ESPN.
If prison was his low point, will Friday represent Foster’s high point?
“My high point was definitely when we got the win,” Foster said. “But what I’m saying is, there’s so much more that can be done in this sport. This is the highest point I’ve ever had in this sport, so I can say this is my highest point. Yes, but this is not the ceiling. I don’t think it’s even close to the limit of what I can do.”
Foster is coming off a fight that overcame tremendous adversity in the ring.
In his first defense against Eduardo Hernandez in October, Foster entered the 12th and final round trailing on the scorecards.
However, Foster knocked out Hernandez in that round and snatched the victory in one of the most entertaining bouts of 2023.
“I can overcome any adversity I face,” Foster said. “[It showed] That I can carry my power [rounds] 1-12. This fight taught me many life lessons and built on many more.
“I feel like I’m unstoppable.”
