I've never seen the entire Foster/Ali fight, but what I did see of it Foster was landing that jab of his like ****ing crazy and he actually messed up Ali's face to some degree. As far as I know that's the only time the very round faced, cut resistant Ali was ever cut. Think it's telling of the quality and power Foster had. Damn accurate too. Thoughts?
Yeah, if Foster could deal with Ali's strength and power he would have been a real menace. He cut Ali and hurt him with the right hand at one point, Ali started clowning and faking rubber legs, that might have fooled some but it's a typical bluff to cover up that the punch actually shook him. But Foster just couldn't cope with Ali. Ali's power is a bit underrated. Often he'd just flick and tap at his opponents, but when he really wanted to he could bang a bit. Ali's physical strength was immense. One of the strongest heavyweights champions ever. Foster just wasn't suited to fighting such monstrous heavyweights. Joe Frazier destroyed him.
Yeah, I would also like to see that whole fight, have only seen a summary. But obviously Foster gave him trouble with his jab and sensationally cut him. Ali had Foster down a number of times, though, and he was as good as gone when he landed that surprising right against a quite nonchalant Ali. If Foster had been maybe 20-30 pounds heavier and a couple of inches longer he could very well have been another Norton for Ali. A very good boxer and a devastating puncher in his own division.
The physical strength aspect of fights was Foster's shortcoming, I think. Ali had forty pounds or some such on Foster... Not that Foster didn't have the power to affect Ali, he was just too damned small. Same against every other HW that Foster fought and lost against.
Ah, I've also read that Foster say that Ali couldn't crack an egg with his punches, or so Foster says. He stayed down during the final knockdown because his corner was yelling for him to stay the **** down. That it wasn't worth getting up and being beaten worse.
It must be kind of sad to admit that your own chin is weaker than an egg. In nearly everything that i've read of him, Foster came across as an arrogant *******.
Yeah, he does come across has having a bad attitude, a bitter, grudging sort of guy. He's a cop, or he used to be. I can imagine he really enjoys his job, busting asses ! Anyway, he was a badass in the ring. I'll give him that.
This fight kinda evolved out of the "Soul Brothers vs the Quarry Brothers" PPV doubleheader from six months before. Foster was saying that if he could just land the hook on Ali that he landed on Mike Quarry, then he could take Ali out. So the fight was made and Foster made some money. Yeah, Foster's jab was quick and cut Ali, but you knew what the eventual outcome wa sgoing to be.
