BoxRec

We seldom talk about Harold Johnson. One of the most underrated fighters in history. He fights this time a knockout artist. Who wins?

..johnson was an all-time great, who had the misfortune of being in his prime at the same time archie moore . great boxer...very good puncher. only weakness....didn't have a strong chin. he himself said that when he boxed "cautiously"...(the word of the critics, mostly joe leibling used) he was called too convservative and when he opened up he "got into trouble."

Foster had the reach and that great punch, but i think johnson would have outpointed him. i don't beleive in ranking fighters on how they did in a weight class above them, but harold did mingle with heavyweights, and rated ones with a lot of success, whereas that's where foster failed, and i can't totally ignore that factor, as it shows how johnson faired against bigger men(.outboxed nino valdez) and in this case, foster was bigger, if not by weight, by height and reach.

johnson's masterpiece was against doug jones, who kayoed foster. this is a good place to note that while it is usually said only heavyweights beat foster, jones was a light heavy when they fought. but...foster was still green at that time...just tossing this in for the record.

a verbose way of saying i'd pick johnson, though i wouldn't bet my sinatra collection on it.

Jaclem wrote:..johnson ws an all-time great, who had the misfortune of being in his prime at the same time archie moore . great boxer...very good puncher. only weakness....didn't have a strong chin. he himself said that when he boxed "cautiously"...(the word of the critics, mostly joe leibling used) he was called too convservative and when he opened up he "got into trouble."

Foster had the reach and that great punch, but i think johnson would have outpointed him. i don't beleive in ranking fighters on how they did in a weight class above them, but harold did mingle with heavyweights, and rated ones with a lot of success, whereas that's where foster failed, and i can't totally ignore that factor, as it shows how johnson faired against bigger men(.outboxed nino valdez) and in this case, foster was bigger, if not by weight, by height and reach.

johnson's masterpiece was against doug jones, who kayoed foster. this is a good place to note that while it is usually said only heavyweights beat foster, jones was a light heavy when they fought. but...foster was still green at that time...just tossing this in for the record.

a verbose way of saying i'd pick johnson, though i wouldn't bet my sinatra collection on it.

Well put. See it the same way.

I think Johnson was just as fast and had big power himself, plus better skills . . .notably better defense.

I have to say the more I've studied Bob's career, the more he falls on my all time Light HW list. He never faced a true threat at 175, and his ventures into HW showed his chin would fail vs the big 175 lb punchers.

Harold operated in a time of heavy dredging, the waters were simply a bit deeper during his run. The record makes it appear that Foster was just as tall, but when you add the fact that the tide was going out in that division it simply created the illusion of "equal height" between these two giants.

Though both were great, Johnson wins this.

...eeek..i just edited my post....it should have started "Johnson was ...etc"

Jaclem wrote:...eeek..i just edited my post....it should have started "Johnson was ...etc"

Cant quite be sure if we just have so much respect for you that we knew what you meant (I knew it was a type-0)....or if we are so afraid that you would sue us if we said anything based on your SENIORITY 'round these parts.

Class action suits on behalf of seniors is one of the biggest exchanges of wealth playing out in the courts. I know I didnt want an attorney knocking on my door.

..damn right i would have sued.

I think Harold was by far the better boxer of the two, although Bob was by no means a slouch in terms of boxing ability either. But I think Johnson was smart and good enough to stay out harm`s way from Foster`s heavy artillery and go on to win a decision.

But I do believe that If Foster gets through and hurts Harold with a big shot its curtains for him. If Foster doesn`t kayo Johnson outright once he lands a bomb, then he is certainly a good enough finisher to flatten him in short order once he has him reeling.

If Johnson plays it safe he could and likely would win a decision, but I cannot count out Bob completely as like I said before he was a very good boxer himself and he also had the reach on Harold which he knew how to use along with that jab of his that he would constantly be throwing in his face.

I`ll go with Johnson by close and possibly unpopular decision, but with the proviso that Foster could well land the finishing blow at any point during the fight. All he would need is for one mistake on Harold`s part, and he could end matters right then and there, but Harold would be well aware of that and would fight accordingly to get the decision.