BoxRec

http://news.boxrec.com/news/2010/europe ... foster-jnr

Another joke of an EBU title fight involving a Hatton fighter. Foster Jr hasn't won a meaningful fight in over 4 years and is suddenly deemed worthy of a shot at a European title. Hatton has the EBU in his backpocket.

Kirakosyan looked deadly against Lawton. If he turns up again in that form I think Foster's out of there early.

Good luck to him. I thought he showed a big heart against AA, putting him down in the 11th, was a good fight. Its been a long time though...

he walked through lawton he wont do that to foster i fancy foster on points or late stoppage

Deno1986 wrote:Another joke of an EBU title fight involving a Hatton fighter. Foster Jr hasn't won a meaningful fight in over 4 years and is suddenly deemed worthy of a shot at a European title. Hatton has the EBU in his backpocket.

Got to say mate, although I couldn't possibly concur with your last sentence, the EBU is steadily declining in my estimation. Was always one of the better boards too.

I like Foster as a boxer though...a big ask for him, mind. Not out of reach though.

Foster Jnr is a very capable boxer; how much of a fight he can put up depends on how strong he is at the weight. From what I've seen of Kirakosyan, he is very, very strong and powerful. Steve is up at British and Commonwealth title level in skill, fitness and gameness. Kirakosyan is not the best of boxers but he has world class power with either hand. Lawton and Johannson were both good lads; and, no disrespect; they got caned. Kirakosyan seems to travel well; I think it'll be a bad match and a painful night for Steve.

simon fox wrote: I think it'll be a bad match and a painful night for Steve.

aye. my reaction was, 'ouch'.

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:

Deno1986 wrote:Another joke of an EBU title fight involving a Hatton fighter. Foster Jr hasn't won a meaningful fight in over 4 years and is suddenly deemed worthy of a shot at a European title. Hatton has the EBU in his backpocket.

Got to say mate, although I couldn't possibly concur with your last sentence, the EBU is steadily declining in my estimation. Was always one of the better boards too.

I like Foster as a boxer though...a big ask for him, mind. Not out of reach though.

Maybe the 'backpocket' comment was a bit strong but I'm fed up of Hatton fighters and the Italians getting undeserved EBU shots. I'm probably just bitter that there are numerous higher ranked Irish fighters who are much more worthy of a shot than the likes of Buckland, Lawton , Foster et al but money talks at the end of the day.

Anyway best of luck to Foster Jr, he shouldn't be in there but he is obviously not going to turn down the chance. He is in for a very tough night in my opinion.

Well at least is finally a champion DEFENDING the EBU title. I am really getting fed up of the number of vacant EBU titles coming up for grabs.

Harrison, Sprott, Maccarinelli, Cleverly, Magee, Barker, Macklin, Jamie Moore, Matt Hatton, Paul McCloskey, Ted Bami, Colin Lynes, Young Mutley, Murray, Buckland, Thaxton, Scott Lawton, Ben Dunne, Esham Pickering, Jamie McDonell,

Thats a list of very recent British and Irish fighters who have contested a VACANT EBU title fight. Off the top of my head I think the last fighter to beat a champion might have been Ian Napa or Rendall Munroe - who I think are the only fighters in recent memory to beat a defending champion for the belt.

Salford's Stephen Foster challenges big-hitting Russian Leva Kirakosyan for the European super-featherweight title in Manchester in October.
Even at home Foster will have his hands full with a man who knows how to travel and has proved the scourge of our best super-featherweights in recent years. Kirakosyan won the title, for the second time, with a three-round mauling of Stoke's Scott Lawton earlier this year in Stoke and needed just two rounds to retain last month against a Spaniard. Kirakosyan might be 36 but the last thing they lose is their punch. Michael Gomez is the only British fighter to have beaten him: in six bloody and bruising rounds in Manchester in 2004. The local wild man walked through hell for his win and was never really the same.
Nevertheless, Foster will draw heart from that and was given no chance when he ventured to Edinburgh in 2007 to tackle the heavy handed Alex Arthur but had the Scot on the floor and fought magnificently to concede a tight 12-round decision. Crucially, Foster looks to have a good chin (never stopped). While he has not been particularly busy since, he is still fresh at 29 and shows good boxing skills and a sharp left hook. We saw this in his featherweight days when he flattened a good Colombian in 10 rounds and outscored the undervalued John Simpson. A surprise loss to Derry Matthews forced Stephen up to super-featherweight where his display against Arthur remains the highlight but victory in this one puts him back in the money.
Foster needs to box the strong, bull-like champion, much like Sergey Gulyakevich did when he virtually outclassed Kirakosyan for the European title in 2007, using movement and speed. A puncher is only a puncher if he lands and the lanky Belarussian found it easy to avoid his big shots and to pick him off. Nevertheless, Kirakosyan remains a threat and two brutal wins over Leeds puncher Carl Johanneson here remain etched in the memory.
Foster is tough and clever enough to drag the champion into the middle rounds but Kirakosyan's shots slowly take their toll and bust up Foster, who is rescued around the ninth.

We keep waiting for Kirakosyan to slip up, but he's been a really good EBU champ. Lawton was a complete walkover, but Foster should offer a bit more and has better track record against big punchers.

Bloody Hell, is the European Title the new commonwealth? No disrespect to Kirakosyan, but how on Earth is Foster consider a legit challenger for the title "Champion of Europe?"