Bob Foster
Name: Bob Foster
Birth Name: Robert Lloyd Foster
Born: 1938-04-27
Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Birthplace: Borger, Texas, USA
Died: 2015-11-21 (Age:77)
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 191cm
Reach: 201cm
Pro Boxer: Record
Trainers: Bill Gore, Eddie Futch
Bob Foster Gallery
Career Review
Bob Foster was a standout on his high school football team, but he chose boxing over football. He said in an interview with The Ring magazine that he felt a professional football career would not pay as well as a professional boxing career.
In 1957, Foster joined the United States Air Force, where he was not only a member of the Air Force Boxing Team, but also a coach. He coached future heavyweight contenders Billy Daniels and Doug Jones (Foster would later suffer his first pro defeat against Jones, losing by an eighth-round TKO in 1962).
Foster had over 100 amateur fights and lost only three. He won the All-Service Championship three times and was the 1959 Pan American Games Middleweight Silver Medalist.
In May 1968, Foster knocked out Dick Tiger in four rounds to win the World Light Heavyweight Championship. It was the only knockout loss of Tiger's career.
Foster challenged Joe Frazier for the World Heavyweight Championship in November 1970 and was knocked out in the second round.
The WBA stripped Foster in December 1970 for not defending against Jimmy Dupree, the #1 contender, within the stipulated time. Foster remained the WBC champion.
In April 1972, Foster fought Vicente Rondon, who knocked out Dupree to win the vacant WBA title. Foster knocked out Rondon in two rounds to reunify the World Light Heavyweight Championship. After the fight, Foster told the press, “I didn’t really want to knock him out. I wanted it to go fifteen so I could beat him bad. I hate him and I hate the WBA.”
Foster fought Muhammad Ali for the NABF heavyweight title in November 1972 and was knocked out in eight rounds.
Foster made fourteen successful title defenses, which was a division record at that time. He retired as champion in 1974, but returned a year later. Foster retired for good after suffering back-to-back knockout losses in 1978.
Awards & Recognition
- Foster was named the 1968 Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year. He edged out Joe Frazier by a 20-17 vote.
- Ranked as the 3rd Greatest Light Heavyweight of All-Time by The Ring in 1994.
- Ranked 23rd on The Ring's 1996 list of The Top 50 Fighters of the Last 50 Years.
- Ranked as the 8th Greatest Puncher of All-Time by The Ring in 2003.
Trivia
- Foster's place of birth has also been listed as Lubbock, Texas, and his date of birth has also been listed as April 27, 1942.
- Foster married at the age of 18.
- Prior to his fight with World Light Heavyweight Champion Dick Tiger, Foster said his biggest paypay was $5,000 and his smallest was $25.
- Foster was the guest commentator on the June 29, 2007 telecast of ESPN2's ESPN Friday Night Fights.
External Links
- "The Bob Foster Story" by Chris Cozzone
- "Bob Foster: Light Heavyweight Legend" by Rich Thomas
- "Bob Foster: The Borger Banger" by Austin Killeen
Preceded by: Dick Tiger |
WBA Light Heavyweight Champion 1968 May 24 – 1970 Dec 9 Stripped |
Succeeded by: Vicente Rondon |
Preceded by: Dick Tiger |
WBC Light Heavyweight Champion 1968 May 24 – 1974 Sep 16 Retired |
Succeeded by: John Conteh |
Preceded by: Vicente Rondon |
WBA Light Heavyweight Champion 1972 Apr 7 – 1974 Sep 16 Retired |
Succeeded by: Victor Emilio Galindez |