As Abraham Nova readies for tonight’s headlining event where he’ll challenge O’Shaquie Foster for the WBC’s 130 lb title, he talks a bit about the fight, why it’s happening now, and gives his prediction on the Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia fight. Check out some of what he had to say below.
On what he makes of Foster as a fighter
“O’Shaquie is an overall great fighter. You can’t deny his skill set, his adversity, what he’s been through. He’s a great fighter.”
On Foster saying he avoided a fight against him in the past
“So when he said that, he said that I denied him — because he did call me out — but I never denied him because he said that I said he was ‘clout chasing’ or something like that. I never said that. That never came out my mouth. That fight didn’t happen because he’s with a different network, I’m with a different network, and it didn’t make sense, especially it being the beginning of my career.
“Of course it makes sense now, it’s for a world title. But I’ve never said that he was clout chasing, that never come out my mouth because I don’t speak that way, that’s not me. And I don’t even have clout. I’m not this entourage, big fighter. I don’t have that do I don’t know where he got that from. But it is what it is. The fight is happening now and let’s get the rumble.”
On if Foster got under his skin at all
“Look, if it did piss me off, didn’t piss me off, that’s the energy I always bring (to take your head off), I’m ready to win. So I won’t let the petty words, the little things get into my game plan, get into my way of winning. So he could’ve said whatever, he could’ve talked about my mother, he could’ve said this, that and the third — I’m not going to let that influence or get to me. I know what I got to do Friday night and that’s win by all means necessary.”
On who he rates as the top fighter at 130 right now
“I say the top fighter would be Navarrete. Until (he officially moves up) I’ll say he’s #1. If not, then you’ll say O’Shaquie, especially the way he’s been doing it. Cordina, I don’t think he’s had a title defense, and Lamont Roach just won that so you’ll say it’s O’Shaquie Foster.”
On who he thinks wins the Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia fight
“Ryan Garcia, all day. Ryan Garcia, he’s going to win…his skills — the way he looks doesn’t speak for him, but he performs. And he performs and he knows how to fight and the #1 things is styles makes fights and Ryan Garcia, he’s tailor made for that.”