By Lee Collier
The last two years have been difficult for Manchester’s former WBU super-featherweight champion Stephen Foster Junior (24-2-1, 16 early). The son of Steve ‘The Viking’ Foster has only boxed once since losing to Alex Arthur in a fight for the WBO interim super-featherweight title.
This month will see the return of Foster, who now fights under the Hatton Promotions banner after splitting with Frank Warren [Frank Warren responds: “Stephen is still under an exclusive promotional contract to me.”] Foster makes his comeback on 15th January in Altrincham on the undercard to the Rob Norton-David Dolan rematch and Foster is happy to be fighting again.
Foster explained the difficulties of the last two years and his absence away from the ring. “I have had problems with my promoter,” explained Foster. “I was told after the Alex Arthur match there was be a possible rematch, with some title fights further down the line. I got a bit fed up waiting so they offered me a six rounder and said after that I could fight Nicky Cook for the WBO title.”
Warren responds: “He talks about a rematch [with Arthur] but he never had that conversation with me so I don’t know where he got that from. Furthermore, he signed a agreement with me in 2008 and the first fight under that contract was the six rounder so he got what was in his contract. He should have boxed Femi Fehintola for the English title on the 5th of December 2008 but he pulled out on the basis that he couldn’t get up for the fight.”
Foster continued: “I did the six rounder and it wasn’t the best performance and I struggled to get up for it. I then had a car incident. Cook pulled out with the flu two weeks before our fight so it [the fight] was rescheduled. Then it got called off again.”
Warren responds: “The fight was called off because Cook pulled out off it with flu and it wasn’t rescheduled. Because of the injuries the timing of the fight expired and Nicky had to fight his mandatory, Roman Martinez, and that was out off my hands as the WBO called for it.”
Foster then explained his frustration and the reason why he joined Hatton Promotions. “I then got offered a fight against Kevin Mitchell and that got called off. I had been training for 10 weeks by that time; the fight got rescheduled for eight weeks later and then got called off again.
“I asked when I was going to be fighting next and got told they didn’t know so I’d just had enough. They came back with the Ricky Burns fight but I felt they were trying to push me to one side and mess with my head so I left and got in touch with Ricky Hatton.”
Warren responds: “He was offered the fight with Kevin Mitchell but, as has been well documented, Kevin was unsure of whether he would stay at the weight. Then we offered him Ricky Burns and he wanted more money than we thought the fight was worth and he didn’t want it to take place up in Scotland. So he was offered work.”
Hatton Promotions have signed many top Manchester fighters, and if you ask any of them the reason for signing with the promotional outfit they will answer that Ricky Hatton knows what they go through as a boxer.
Warren: “I’ve been in this business thirty years so I know what a fighter goes through and I know what I go through when fighters pull out off fights you’ve arranged for them.”
“Ricky [Hatton] knows the score and knows you can’t go messing with fighter’s heads as they can get disheartened. Everyone gets a bit fed up with boxing, especially when you’ve been let down in the past,” continued Foster.
Foster will face 20-year-old Georgian Kakhaber Avetisian, 13-9-1 (2 early), over six rounds and Foster is chomping at the bit to get back to boxing again. “It feels good to be back,” said an excited Foster.
“My first fight back is just after Christmas but that’s boxing. I have a strong belief in myself now that I have a promoter who can back his words up instead of giving me false promises saying I can fight for this title or that and then it falling through.”
Warren responds: “Stephen is one hundred percent under a promotional contract with me and I haven’t been informed (this week’s contest) so someone needs to pick up the phone and contact me, and I’m not talking about Steve or his dad. We’ve got issues with Hatton Promotion’s and we are looking to resolve these issues before we can make any further decision.”
Foster is keen to get back into the title mix as soon as possible after having a couple of wasted years and with the Hatton’s showing no fear of pitching their own fighters against each other Foster is looking forward to possibly meeting fellow Mancunian Andy Morris down the line.
“It’s a possibility that me and Andy [Morris] could end up fighting, we are both Manchester based fighters and Ricky Hatton is going to have the most of shows at the Manchester Velodrome so it’s likely that we may fight, to show who is the cream of the crop in Manchester.”
Foster is also keen to get involved with fights at world level so he can show that he is better than the result in the Arthur fight.
“I feel I can fight at whatever level Ricky Hatton can get me a title fight at, I would love to fight for a WBO or any world title fight like any boxers would and feel it’s within my capabilities.”
To buy tickets to see Stephen foster Junior on his comeback ring 0161 7757500 or visit https://secure.ticketline.co.uk/tickets/13241894/boxing-norton-v-dolan/altrincham-leisure-centre/2010-01-15
