Bobby Benton has two of the top-20 fighters in the world as he trains Regis Prograis, and O’Shaquie Foster. Foster started off the month of February with a bang by defeating two-division Mexican world champion, Rey Vargas, to win the vacant WBC super featherweight world title, and the first world title of his career.
There must be something about the vacant WBC world title and Bobby Benton, as his other marquee fighter Regis Prograis defeated the always dangerous Jose “Chon” Zepeda to win the vacant WBC super lightweight world title against Jose “Chon” Zepeda to and 2022. Yet, despite all the success, Benton has changed from the humble demeanor he has had since I first met him, as the fighter is always what comes first, and Benton works around their style to create the best version of the fighter.
“For me I expected it [to happen], but it isn’t real until it happens, it isn’t real,” said Benton from a hotel room as he was going through fight week activities with one of his other fighters who was fighting that week, Austin Trout. “[Foster] did exactly what he is capable of, and I think he will get even better than he is now.”
Though Benton thought the fight was well in hand, and it was a chance encounter looking up that alerted him, his magnum opus being crafted by O’Shaquie Foster might be in doubt. Many pundits, and fight fans credited a passionate Benton for sparking a fuse in Foster late in the fight with some of the best corner work many had seen in some time.
“I got to apologize for my language on there, I honestly forget we are on TV…and I went back watched it on TV, and thought I cussed a lot” stated Benton, who wanted to first clarify that some of potty mouthed remarks are not a reflection of him, day-in, and day-out. “I felt like we were winning easy, but then I happened to look up which I never do, and I saw the Showtime guys had [the fight] 86-85…and I was like ‘damn, they’re going to screw us.’ No, were [not letting this happen]. So I went to Shock [Foster], and I told him you’re doing great, but step it up a little bit, and from that moment on [Foster] took [the fight] away from Rey Vargas.”
As for what is next for O’Shaquie Foster, obviously that is for the people above my pay-grade, the management and promoters of the world to decide, but as I listed off a slew of famous fighters at around the division looking to create click-bait article that would make someone have to read this from Oscar Valdez to Leo Santa Cruz, Gary Russell Jr., and even current world champion Hector Luis Garcia, Benton was quite alright with any and all of them.
“Line those guy up, please, everybody you just said and in in that order, would be fine by me,” said Benton confidently. “Or unifying [world titles at 130 lbs]. Shock is just going to beat all these guys, there is no chance of these guys beating him, especially when he is focused like he is now."
