Undefeated two-division world champion Rey Vargas (36-0, 22 KOs) of Otumba, Mexico looks to become a three-weight ruler when he faces O’Shaquie Foster (19-2, 11 KOs) of Orange, Texas in the main event at Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on Saturday, February 11. The scheduled for 12 rounds championship bout, with the vacant WBC super featherweight title on the line, headlines a three-fight telecast live on Showtime. The full lineup of preliminary action has been announced today, featuring a former titleholder, Olympic bronze medalist, Pan American gold medalist and a highly touted prospect in his pro debut.
In the previously announced ten-round co-main event, San Antonio’s former world champion Mario Barrios (26-2, 17 KOs) takes on Puerto Rico’s Jovanie Santiago (14-2-1, 10 KOs) at welterweight. The the-round heavyweight telecast opener pits Ukraine’s Viktor Faust (11-0, 7 KOs) and Cuba’s 2016 Olympian Lenier Pero (8-0, 5 KOs).
The preliminary action, live stream on Showtime Sports channel on YouTube, is headlined by former titleholder Claudio Marrero battling it out against Las Vegas’ Gonzalo Fuenzalida in an eight-rounder at lightweight. Also on the card, unbeaten Filipino Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial takes on veteran Ricardo Villalba in an eight-round middleweight scrap. Plus, heavyweight Dainier Pero, younger brother of unbeaten Lenier Pero, squares off against Daniel Zavala over four rounds, while David Whitmire makes his pro debut against Texan Keith Foreman in a four-round super welterweight bout.
Tickets for the event can be purchased through Vivid Seats, StubHub and TicketNetwork.
Claudio Marrero vs Gonzalo Fuenzalida tops Vargas vs Foster undercard
A native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Claudio Marrero (26-5, 18 KOs) enters the fight having won back-to-back contests, including most recently earning a decision victory over the then-unbeaten Viktor Slavinskyi in February 2022. The 33-year-old owns impressive first-round knockouts of previously unbeaten contenders Carlos Zambrano and Jorge Lara and also a stoppage of former champion Rico Ramos in three rounds. His win over Zambrano earned him the Interim WBA featherweight title. He will be opposed by the 26-year-old Gonzalo Fuenzalida (12-1, 3 KOs) who is originally from Chile but now fights out of Las Vegas. Fuenzalida has won seven-straight bouts heading into Saturday night, including a successful U.S. debut in September of last year that saw him defeat Joseph Francisco.
Eumir Marcial (3-0, 1 KO) won a bronze medal at the 2020 Olympics representing his native Philippines and has had all three of his pro fights take place stateside. The 27-year-old showed his power in an April clash against Isiah Hart, rising off the canvas to stop his opponent in round four. Most recently, Marcial went six rounds for the first time as a pro, earning a unanimous decision over Steven Pichardo last October. He duels Argentina’s Ricardo Ruben Villalba (20-7-1, 8 KOs), who dropped his U.S. debut in December via decision against the unbeaten prospect Micky Scala.
The younger brother of fellow Cuban standout Lenier, Dainier Pero (2-0, 2 KOs) now resides in Miami, Fla., and turned pro in December 2022 with a first-round KO of Deane Williams. The 23-year-old followed that up with another first-round stoppage, as he blasted out Benjerman Baker on January 14. He takes on the Del Rio, Texas-native Daniel Zavala (2-1-2), who fought five times in 2022 after turning pro in February. The 32-year-old most recently dropped a majority decision to the unbeaten Rudy Silvas in December.
A 17-year-old phenom set to turn pro after a strong amateur career, David Whitmire is trained by former veteran title contender Andrew Council. The Washington, D.C. native earned the “Bodysnatcher” moniker during his amateur run and will look to impress in his first pro fight. He battles the Waco, Texas-born Keith Foreman (0-0, 1 NC) who turned pro last September in a fight that was later ruled a no-decision.
The non-televised undercard includes unbeaten prospect Fabian Diaz (3-0, 1 KO) in a four-round lightweight bout against Eleazar Mendietta (0-1), plus the four-round pro debuts of two light heavyweight San Antonio-natives as Manuel Sifuentes meets Mexico’s Jesus Aguilar (0-1) while James Wohlschlegel faces Daniel Heinen (0-1).
In Australia, Rey Vargas vs O’Shaquie Foster airs live on Sunday, February 12.
Vargas vs Foster fight card
Main card
- Rey Vargas vs. O’Shaquie Foster, 12 rounds, super featherweight – vacant WBC super featherweight title
- Mario Barrios vs. Jovanie Santiago, 10 rounds, welterweight
- Lenier Pero vs. Viktor Faust, 10 rounds, heavyweight
Undercard
- Claudio Marrero vs. Gonzalo Fuenzalida, 8 rounds, super featherweight
- Eumir Marcial vs. Ricardo Ruben Villalba, 8 rounds, middleweight
- Dainier Pero vs. Daniel Zavala, 4 rounds, heavyweight
- David Whitmire vs. Keith Foreman, 4 rounds, super welterweight
Non-televised prelims
- Fabian Diaz vs. Eleazar Mendietta, 4 rounds, lightweight
- Manuel Sifuentes vs. Jesus Ponce Aguilar, 4 rounds, light heavyweight
- Daniel Heinen vs. James Wohlschlegel, 4 rounds, light heavyweight
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