Mac Foster was 24-0 with 24 KOs. Admittedly, he'd been carefully managed, but he had a few good wins to his name. Then he's pitched in with Jerry Quarry. For those who want to watch the fight online, here's a link to my Daily Motion channel: This content is protected
Too me it's the win over Shavers. It's not just that he beat Shavers, it's how he did it by knocking him out early in a fight were most thought he was going to get destroyed.
His wins over Patterson, Lyle, Shavers, Foster, Mathis and Spencer could all be contenders for his best win because they were all outstanding victories with all rated very high when he beat them.
I was at that fight, and I had ringside seats, I came expecting 24-0 24 KO Big Mac Foster to win but Quarry took his best and broke down Mac with body head combinations. I also watched Quarry take out Shavers in one rd. sitting ringside. Also saw him get off the floor to KO Joe Alexander in Nassau Coliseum All three were exciting but I think the most impressive was the Ron Lyle victory. Lyle was undefeated big guy. I went into his dressing room before the fight. Lyle started strong but was hurt by a Quarry combo and in about the 4th rd., I don't remember exactly but Lyle stayed honest and at bay for the remainder and I felt it was a smart fight for Quarry who won clearly. Based on these fights, I always felt Quarry would have tested a young Foreman. Foreman was a level higher and had great power but Quarry had a good chin and handled the slow, big banger well and Foreman would be in danger if Quarry got past the first 5-6 rds.
I concur with Bummy Davis in Lyle being his best and arguably most impressive win. Thad Spencer a close second with Mac Foster third. Buster Mathis and Floyd Patterson were good victories but both were past it. Shavers was a brilliant win but Earnie (though he had recently koed Jimmy Ellis and a young Jimmy Young) had not hit his richest vain of form. Two fights later he would be floored and outpointed by Bob Stallings (21-24 record at the time). Let´s not forget his 1 punch 1 rd win over Jack Bodell who had just floored and outpointed quite easily Joe Bugner over 15 rds!
VERY carefully managed. He somehow became the number one contender without beating a single top tenner. What a joke.
Jerry defeated 9 Fighter's in the top ten at the time , and knocked out 5, two of those knockouts were the no.1 Contender. that's why he is they only fighter on pro record . to get two shots at Ali & Frazier, Few Champions in any division get 9 top ten wins during their career's Frazier himself had (10). Norton about five. Quarry was also World fighter of the month 5 times (another 4 knockouts), I wonder how many non Champions accomplished that? Ironically for beating Ron Lyle, Quarry was This content is protected FIGHTER OF THE MONTH and This content is protected runner-up
That's certainly a strange one. Is it in fact unique? Cooney I don't think beat a top tenner (maybe Norton, though), but he never reached higher than nr. 2 on the other hand. Mugabi actually comes close, but he beat one or two in the lower top 10. Hearns is similar. He had beat maybe one top 10 MW contender, but that was years before. He had a solid career at JMW and WW, though, to say the least. So was Frazier considered the champion when MacFoster was ranked nr. 1, with Ali still in exile?
I think Norton was number 3 (WBA) at least even though he didn't deserve it. He'd just come out of retirement and was 1-1-1 in his last three and one could very well argue he should've been 0-3, and was definitely not the same fighter he'd been years prior. I believe Frazier was considered the champion when Foster was number 1. He'd unified against Ellis, but obviously wasn't considered the lineal champion until he beat Ali.
Quarry vs Foreman matchup would've been great for boxing, but since we know how Quarry's future condition ended up I am grateful it didn't happen
