O’Shaquie Foster has achieved something that most professional boxers can only dream of. He has unified three world titles in the super-featherweight division, establishing himself as one of the leading fighters at 130lbs.
His latest achievement, defeating Emanuel Navarrete, should be the sort of result that transforms a successful world champion into a major name in boxing.
Yet there is a problem.
Despite everything O’Shaquie Foster has accomplished, he remains relatively unknown outside dedicated boxing circles.
And I don’t necessarily think that’s his fault.
In fact, I think Foster is suffering from a problem that has affected fighters in the lighter weight divisions for decades.
Casual boxing supporters tend to follow the heavyweights or whichever weight division happens to feature their favourite fighter.
Everybody else is left fighting for attention.
And that raises an interesting question. If winning three world championships isn’t enough to make somebody a household name, what exactly does a boxer have to do?
O’Shaquie Foster Deserves More Recognition
Let’s start by giving O’Shaquie Foster the credit he deserves.
Becoming a world champion is difficult enough. Unifying three world titles against elite opposition is an entirely different achievement.
Foster has developed into an intelligent, technically accomplished boxer who understands that winning fights isn’t simply about throwing more punches than the man standing opposite him.
His defensive awareness, movement and ability to make adjustments are important parts of his success.
He isn’t necessarily the sort of fighter who produces a spectacular knockout every time he steps into the ring.
But why should that matter?
Boxing is supposed to be about skill, intelligence and the ability to defeat the best opponents available.
And Foster has demonstrated those qualities.
We regularly complain that modern boxing places too much emphasis on undefeated records, carefully selected opponents and commercially attractive contests.
Yet when a fighter succeeds at the highest level without becoming a promotional superstar, we sometimes seem reluctant to give him the attention his achievements deserve.
There is something fundamentally wrong with that.
The Problem Isn’t Foster – It’s How Casual Fans Follow Boxing
I think the biggest reason O’Shaquie Foster isn’t a bigger star has relatively little to do with his personality, fighting style or promotional backing.
It’s the weight division he competes in.
And before anybody suggests I’m criticising casual boxing supporters, I’m not.
There is nothing wrong with watching boxing occasionally or following a particular fighter.
But I do think we need to recognise how that affects the popularity of fighters competing outside the sport’s most commercially attractive divisions.
Heavyweight boxing has always enjoyed a particular fascination among the general public.
Whether we’re talking about Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Anthony Joshua or Tyson Fury, the heavyweight division has consistently attracted attention from people who wouldn’t necessarily watch a super-featherweight contest.
There is something about the prospect of two enormous men trying to knock each other out that appeals to audiences beyond traditional boxing supporters.
And that isn’t likely to change.
Then we have another group of casual fans who follow boxing because of one particular fighter.
If somebody supports Canelo Álvarez, they’re naturally going to pay more attention to the divisions he competes in.
The same applies to supporters of Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia or any other major name.
But how many of those supporters regularly follow the super-featherweight rankings?
How many could name the leading contenders at 130lbs?
And how many would recognise O’Shaquie Foster if they walked past him in the street?
I suspect the answers would be disappointing.
Not because Foster isn’t good enough, but because a significant proportion of boxing’s audience simply doesn’t follow the sport across every weight division.
Smaller Weight Divisions Have Always Faced This Battle
This isn’t a new problem.
For decades, some of boxing’s most technically gifted fighters have competed in divisions that struggle to attract the same attention as the heavyweights.
And it would be ridiculous to suggest that lighter fighters are somehow less entertaining or less talented.
In fact, some of the finest boxing I’ve ever watched has involved fighters competing well below the heavyweight limit.
Look at Ricardo López, for example.
An extraordinary technician who retired undefeated and established himself as one of the finest smaller fighters of his generation.
Yet outside serious boxing circles, his name has never enjoyed anything approaching the recognition given to heavyweight champions with considerably less impressive records.
Roman González is another example.
A remarkable fighter who helped bring greater attention to the smaller weight divisions, but whose achievements still haven’t received the mainstream recognition they deserve.
Then there’s Naoya Inoue.
One of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters in modern boxing, with devastating power, exceptional technique and an extraordinary list of accomplishments.
Inoue has become a major attraction, particularly in Japan, and has demonstrated that smaller fighters can generate enormous audiences.
But even his international profile doesn’t necessarily translate into the same level of recognition among British casual fans as a leading heavyweight.
And that’s the difficulty facing O’Shaquie Foster.
He isn’t just competing against other super-featherweights.
He’s competing for public attention in a sport where the biggest names often attract more interest than the best performances.
Has Boxing Become Too Obsessed With Personalities?
There is another factor worth considering.
Modern boxing increasingly seems to reward fighters who know how to generate attention outside the ring.
Social media arguments, promotional confrontations, controversial statements and personal rivalries can sometimes attract more interest than actual sporting achievements.
We’ve reached a point where a boxer can generate enormous publicity by arguing with another fighter online without either of them having any immediate intention of sharing a ring.
Meanwhile, somebody like O’Shaquie Foster can unify world titles and still struggle to break through to a wider audience.
I’m not suggesting fighters should avoid promoting themselves.
Boxing is a business, and professional fighters have relatively short careers in which to maximise their earning potential.
If somebody can increase their profile and secure bigger purses by developing a recognisable personality, good luck to them.
But surely there should be room for fighters who prefer to let their boxing do the talking?
Not every world champion needs to become a social media personality.
Not every contest needs a manufactured rivalry.
And not every fighter needs to spend six months insulting an opponent before people become interested.
Sometimes, being exceptionally good at boxing should be enough.
Unfortunately, I’m increasingly unconvinced that it is.
Would Becoming Undisputed Change Everything?
O’Shaquie Foster has made no secret of his ambition to become the undisputed super-featherweight champion.
And after collecting three world titles, that is the obvious next objective.
Becoming undisputed would represent another enormous achievement and remove any lingering argument about his standing within the division.
But would it actually make him a mainstream star?
I’m not convinced.
It would certainly strengthen his reputation among dedicated boxing supporters.
His name would feature more prominently in discussions about the best fighters in the sport, and his accomplishments would become increasingly difficult to ignore.
However, there is a difference between gaining recognition within boxing and becoming somebody the wider public knows.
We have seen undisputed champions achieve extraordinary things without necessarily becoming household names.
And that’s because world titles alone don’t guarantee mainstream popularity.
A fighter also needs exposure, promotional investment, compelling opponents and, sometimes, a little luck.
Foster could become undisputed and still find himself receiving less attention than a heavyweight contender who has never won a world championship.
That might sound ridiculous.
But anybody who has followed boxing for long enough knows it wouldn’t be particularly surprising.
Boxing Needs to Do More for Its Smaller Champions
I don’t think the responsibility for making O’Shaquie Foster a bigger star should fall entirely on his shoulders.
Promoters, broadcasters and boxing media all have a role to play.
If the sport wants supporters to appreciate fighters across different weight divisions, it needs to give those fighters meaningful exposure.
That doesn’t mean pretending every super-featherweight contest will attract the same audience as a major heavyweight event.
It won’t.
But there is a difference between recognising commercial reality and accepting that certain divisions will always be treated as an afterthought.
Broadcasters could spend more time explaining why particular fighters are exceptional rather than assuming audiences already know.
Promoters could build compelling stories around sporting achievement instead of relying almost entirely on manufactured controversy.
And boxing media could make a greater effort to discuss outstanding champions without waiting for them to become commercially fashionable.
Of course, none of that guarantees O’Shaquie Foster will suddenly become a household name.
But it might help ensure that the next generation of talented fighters doesn’t face exactly the same problem.
Three World Titles Should Mean Something
Ultimately, I don’t think O’Shaquie Foster needs to change who he is.
He doesn’t need to manufacture a rivalry, start arguments on social media or suddenly transform himself into somebody he’s not.
He’s a world-class boxer who has earned his position through performances inside the ring.
And that should count for something.
I also don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with casual fans preferring heavyweight boxing or following their favourite fighters.
That’s always been part of the sport.
But I do think boxing has a responsibility to celebrate excellence wherever it exists.
Whether somebody competes at heavyweight, super-featherweight or minimumweight shouldn’t determine how seriously we take their achievements.
O’Shaquie Foster has already done enough to deserve considerably more recognition than he receives.
If he becomes undisputed champion, his place among the leading fighters of his generation will only become stronger.
Whether the wider public notices is another matter entirely.
And perhaps that’s the real problem.
Boxing has become very good at making celebrities out of fighters. It hasn’t always been quite so good at making celebrities out of champions.
What Do You Think? Let’s Talk Boxing
Does O’Shaquie Foster deserve more recognition, or is the lack of mainstream attention simply the reality of competing in a smaller weight division?
Would becoming undisputed finally make him a major name, or have personalities and promotional hype become more important than world titles?
I’d love to hear your thoughts, so share your opinion in the comments and tell me whether you think boxing does enough to promote its lighter-weight champions.
And if you enjoy independent boxing opinions, honest debate and discussion about the fighters and stories that don’t always get the attention they deserve, visit CMBoxing for more.