Foster defends his World Boxing Union featherweight title in front of his own fans and has laughed off Liverpudlian Matthews' claim that the pressure is all on him as the champion fighting in his own backyard.
"Early in my career I did prefer fighting away from home, because there was some pressure top perform in front of my own supporters," said 26-year-old Foster, whose fight is on the under card of Joe Calzaghe's title defence against Sakio Bika.
"But that is all in the past and I have moved on from that stage. I beat Livinson Ruiz at the Arena to win the title, which was my best performance, so there is no problem on that score. The truth is that I am not too bothered where I fight, although my fans are made up that they don't have to travel too far."
Foster is unbeaten in 22 professional fights, including one draw, after winning back-to-back ABA titles and reaching the quarter-finals of the World Amateur Championships. But he puts his belt on the line against another unbeaten fighter in Matthews, who has won 16 on the bounce.
He was originally scheduled to face British champion Andy Morris but the squat Wythenshawe fighter pulled out over a cash dispute and the much taller Matthews was drafted in as a replacement.
"I have had to change my training a little bit, nothing major," said Foster. "I brought in a few lads for sparring who are tall and similar in style to Matthews.
"I rate it as a hard fight, every bit as hard as Andy Morris would have been, because Matthews will be desperate to hang on to his unbeaten record."
Morris has made it plain that he still wants a showdown with Foster next year, if the money is right, and in the meantime he is defending his British title belt against John Simpson at the ExCeL Arena in London on December 9.
Suggestions
He was angered at suggestions by Foster's dad Steve senior that he had "run" from the fight, and says he hopes a promoter can sort it out as his next fight after Simpson.
Foster agrees that he would still like to face Morris, but says he is looking no further than Matthews at the moment.
Anthony Crolla makes his long-awaited professional debut further down the under card, and trainer Anthony Farnell is urging Manchester fight fans not to miss it.
"The lad is a former ABA champion, and in three or four years' time he is going to be a great fighter," said the former WBU middleweight champion, who trains Crolla at his Newton Heath gym.
"He has a wicked defence, like a Winky Wright, he jabs like Ike Quartey and he has the tenacity of ... well, me! It's great for me to have a lad like this, because he has so much going for him."
Physical
Crolla, from New Moston, said he can't wait: "The pro game will be a bit more physical, but as an amateur I was constantly having top fights, there were no easy ones."
Crolla will not get the easiest of debuts, facing the rugged and game Withington fighter Abdul Rashid, who has won his only previous pro contest. Thomas McDonagh is lined up for a British light-middleweight title eliminator against local rival Matthew Hatton early in the New Year, and he warms up by opening the show (6.30pm) against Leicester's Martin Concepcion
Chief support to Calzaghe is the WBU cruiserweight title rematch between Welshman Enzo Maccarinelli and Huddersfield's Mark Hobson, after Maccarinelli narrowly won the first fight on points at the same venue in March.
TONY Doherty has had to pull out of his scheduled fight with Kell Brook on tonight's under card after cutting his hand on his video recorder!
The Welsh welterweight, based in Manchester and trained by Brian Hughes in Collyhurst, was removing a tape from the machine when his hand stuck.
BRITISH lightweight champion Lee Meager will make his first title defence against Jon Thaxton at the Alexandra Palace in London on December 8.
ROBIN Reid, 34, is planning a ring comeback in February. The former WBC super-middleweight champion has not fought since his first stoppage defeat, to Jeff Lacy for the IBF title in August 2005, but says he is training for a fight in Dubai. Tweet
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SALFORD FIGHT FANS ARE PROUD OF THE VIKING AND YOUNG STEVE THEY ARE BOTH WHAT MAKES THIS CITY GREAT ,ALSO JAMIE MOORE IS UP THERE WITH THE BEST OF THEM AND ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TTIME BEFORE HE ADDS TO HIS BRITISH TITLE ,TWO GENUINE WORLD TITLE FIGHTERS ,CANT BE BAD CAN IT ?
STEVE FOSTER JUNIOR THE REAL DEAL SALFORDS ONLY WORLD CHAMPION ,HIS DAD WAS A CREDIT TO SALFORD AND SO WAS HIS VIKING ARMY OF FANS ,
SORRY SALFORD RED LIFELONG BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE FOSTER BUBBLE HAS BEEN BURST ,AND I BET ANDY MORRIS HAS GOT A SMILE ON HIS FACE A YARD WIDE, COS NOW IF HE COMES THROUGH HIS NEXT DEFENCE OK ,HE COULD GO FOR A MEGA MEGA PAYDAY WITH MATTHEWS AND MAKE TWICE THE MONEY ,LIVERPOOL V MANCHESTER ,WHAT A TREAT FOR ALL YOU BACK THERE, LIKE I,VE SAID BEFORE ANDY HAS AN OLD HEAD ON YOUNG SHOULDERS ,AND IT LOOKS LIKE HIS PATIENCE AND GOOD JUDGEMENT IS GOING TO BE WELL AND TRULY REWARDED .
SALFORD RED LIFELONG ,NEXT TIME COULD YOU PLEASE PUT YOUR BRAIN INTO GEAR BEFORE ENGAGING YOUR MOUTH ,MY SON WATCHED THE FIGHT AND INFORMED ME THAT STEVES LACK OF REAL WORLD CLASS TALENTS WERE WELL AND TRULY EXPOSED WHEN HE TOOK ON DERRY MATTHEWS ,ITS OK BEATING A LOAD OF TOMATO CANS IN THE SUNDAY SCHOOL LEAGUE LIKE AMIR KHAN IS DOING AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME ,BUT WHEN THEY ARE EXPOSED TO A BIT OF CLASS MANY ARE FOUND OUT TO BE WANTING ,NAZ VS BARRARA SPRINGS TO MIND TO MENTION BUT A FEW ,ITS NOT THE QUANTITY OF OPPONENTS YOU BEAT ITS THE QUALITY THIS SIMPLE FACT SEEMS TO EVADE THE "ROSE COLOURED GLASSES BRIGADE "BACK THERE .
Well Derry certainly found out what it was like then. Totally outboxed Foster on his own manor. Foot in mouth time for Foster against a late entry who showed true scouse grit to win in style
steve foster had a bit of an off night,the clash of heads in the third round didnt do him any favours ,yes matthews did fight well ,but for once in his carri ,foster could not find the answers ,he might of needed a fight like this he will be back dont worry about that