BoxRec

Jimmy Ellis seemed to find himself at lightheavyweight although he never stuck around long enough to find out what he might have done in that weight class. He expirienced some success at heavyweight but was a notch below the greats.
Bob Foster tried fighting heaveyweights but proved to himself lightheavy is where he belonged. So for what it's worth Ellis had the greater success fighting heaveyweights.
So the question is would that have had any meaning if they would have met as lightheaveyweights. Could that have become a similar rivalry to Ali Frazier, could we be talking about Ellis as an all time great light heaveyweight, or was Foster to established in his weight class for someone else to rival him.

Tough call

He lost to a number of guys fighting around 155 to 165. He beat Jimmy Dupree at 179. Since he had sucess as a HW, we'll never know if he could have beat Foster. The thing is Jimmy was improving. If they had fought in 68 or 69 I would go with Bob Foster. Foster was at his best during this period. Later, perhaps not. The thing is, could Ellis have made weight by 70 or 71? Foster was one of the best.

I know I'll catch hell for calling a winner here but my money is on Jimmy Ellis to finnesse his way around Bob's Bombs to a U or SD victory.