Muhammad Ali vs Bob Foster: 40 Years Later....

[elmersalsa]

On November 21st, 1972, World Light Heavyweight Champion, the great Bob Foster, was into the match against the great Muhammad Ali in a non-title heavyweight bout. The fight was at Stateline, NV for all things. At the Sahara Tahoe Hotel. Two years earlier in Detroit, Foster challenged the great Joe Frazier for the World Heavyweight Title but was decapitated by a terrible left hook in only 2 rounds!

Here, in the Ali fight, Foster lasted 8 rounds and gave "The Greatest" a cut. It could plainly be seen the disparity in weight between the two fighters. This was a case of great big champion always beat great smaller champs....Let's remember that Foster decapitated the great Dick Tiger, a guy way too small for Foster. And Ali and Frazier were way too much and also too big for Foster.

[elmersalsa]

Also Ali outweighed Foster by 41 pounds! Ali weighed 221, and Foster just 180?

[elmersalsa]

I just saw the fight again last night and it seemed to me that Ali carried Foster for a couple of rounds. Once Foster gave him a cut in his left eye, then, then, Ali started to work. It was entertaining while it last.

[HomicideHenry]

Foster didnt have the chin to be a good heavyweight, but by far he had the faster hands in that fight.

[spudder56]

Foster didnt have the chin to be a good heavyweight, but by far he had the faster hands in that fight.

Yes and just didnt have the weight Foster was devestating as a light heavy but the move up in weight just didnt suit him but you have to remember in those days there was no mid division i.e Cruiserweight you were either light heavy or heavyweight but all the same Bob Foster was a great fighter and deserves his place in history

[Ezzard]

Bob didn't have the same milkshakes as Jones and others had either...

[Ambling Alp II]

It's a shame that Foster is remembered so much for what he did vs Ali and other heavyweight fights and not what he did as a light heavyweight. He was a great light heavyweight.

[HomicideHenry]

Foster didnt have the chin to be a good heavyweight, but by far he had the faster hands in that fight.

Yes and just didnt have the weight Foster was devestating as a light heavy but the move up in weight just didnt suit him but you have to remember in those days there was no mid division i.e Cruiserweight you were either light heavy or heavyweight but all the same Bob Foster was a great fighter and deserves his place in history

What alot of people never think about, in evaluating Bob Foster, is just how much heavyweight ass he kicked in preperation for Ali, Frazier, Terrell, etc. He may not of been able to hang with the top tier, but by Jesus he was knocking out journeymen and giving fringe guys a hard time in the gym. And, without question, he was a solid legitimite champion, one of the all-time greats.

I heard someone bring up Roy Jones earlier, and let's pose the question, what if Jones fought Ruiz at only 177 pounds like Bob did against Frazier or Ali, would the result of been the same? You got to remember that back then 176+ was a heavyweight, and they fought the same day as the weigh-in. There would have to be no room for error on Jones part, or any fighter from today's part, under those conditions. We may criticize Bob for having lost to the two best heavyweights of the 1970s, if not all time, but at the end of the day the man was UNSTOPPABLE as a light heavyweight. Kayoing Dick Tiger, sweeping the entire division, what else really was left for Bob?

[elmersalsa]

Foster went down 4 times in a round in that fight. I do not even understand why this fight was even made. It was a mismatch, especially in weight disparity. That shows how tough those guys were in the good old days. They fight anybody, anywhere at any cost or price.