Bob Foster thread

The cool thing about this ko is the way Foster nodded his head and
casually walked to the corner, he knew the split second he landed
that hook, the fight was over.

 

Maybe I exaggerated about his handspeed being very slow, but still overall he tends to get overrated. I sometimes wonder how Foster would compete against the 80's light heavyweights. That era is sure tough Qawi, Saad, Scott, Mustafa, Johnson, Lopez, Spinks, etc.

 

He came very close to a 1977 title fight with Victor Galindez, with Foster pulling out at the last minute. I don't think it would have been pretty, however, Foster was a shell by that time. Galindez would have done a number on him.

 

Foster would hammer Johnson and Lopez IMO even given they were damn good fighters.

Foster would compete hard in any era. He has stupendous power, possibly the greatest jab in 175 history and a complete arsenal of punches. His skillset and style also match up beautifully. For me he's a top 5 H2H 175'er and some would have him quite high inside that 5. The only thing not on his side is opposition but there's plenty of ATG's in the same boat. Tyson, Holmes, Chavez at 135, Monzon, Holyfield and countless countless others never beat a prime ATG in their own division. Granted these guys had a stronger overall pack than Bob. We know these guys would be comfortable in the ring against basically anyone and would rise. Foster is the same for me.

 

I never had Foster top 5 h2h imo. Mine's like this:

1. Ezzard Charles
2. Archie Moore
3. Roy Jones Jr
4. Michael Spinks
5. Dwight Qawi

He still a monstrous h2h fighter regardless

 

You can argue him in or out for sure. Qawi wouldn't make my 5 but i sure wouldn't scoff at him or think he can't possibly be in there. Helluva fighter and TBH i think best for best he would have beat Saad all day. It's one of those stylistic nightmares IMO.

 

I sometimes wonder to put Qawi higher. He has the brutal offensive skills to that of Joe Louis and has the defensive skills to that of Pernell Whitaker. Add in the ability to take a good punch, elite stamina, high ring iq, great knockout power and beat the opponents both outside and inside and you get a ferocious fighter. Overwhelming offense limits the opponents offense, Overwhelming defense neutralizes the opponents offense and a solid chin help whether every moment the opponent landed their offense. Qawi is all of that, I doubt that Bob Foster could beat him actually! Well, at least in my opinion.

 

I don’t know if this is one of those myths that people like Burt Sugar spread about but when it was clear that Quarry was properly unconscious and not waking up, didn’t Foster say something like ‘Well, looks like he’s dead then.’

 

I never heard that one. And Sugar was known for his hyperbole.
Foster was a good man by all accounts , not saying he wouldn't
have said it right after a fight, but it was probably spur of
the moment if it was said.

 

Really hope he didn`t say it

 

The problem is years from now others will look at today's fighters as average at best and so on to the next generation. I do not see anything special about today's, the only difference is that the majority of today's fighter come from a nation that did not allow their fighters to box professionally, Russia, the former Soviet Union. As I Always say, a fighter can only fight the fighters available in their respective era's, this is not the WWE, they call out opponents, and not everyone is Muhammad Ali and Gorgeous George to create a show, calling out fighters or wrestlers. The fighters you mentioned, regardless of their opposition they were great, like I posted, years from now your grandchildren will scoff at the fighters and champions of today, making fantasy fight threads on this site. These threads of fantasy fights are just for fun, very speculative and are opinionated by many, Merry Christmas to you and your family.

 

Bob Foster had longevity on his side as well as skill. He fought the best that was available, not from the future or past, that would be hypothetical. Champions since his era came and went, Bob held the title from May 1968 until his retirement with the belt in June 1974. The only chink in his armor was that he could not beat a single heavyweight when he attempted to move up. He was a tall light heavyweight with a snappy left jab, movement if need be, and had a very nasty left hook that created doubt on its use as many were rendered unconscious as the result of it. Frank DePaula, Mark Tessman, Mike Quarry, Chris Finnegan, and Vicente Rondon can attest to that. They were the best capable challengers of his era. Bob was a very consistent champion unlike today's fighters, including one great fighter by the name of Roy Jones Jr who was beaten by the likes of Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson. Foster retired following his 15 round draw against Jorge Ahumada on June 17 1974.

 

Both had skills, both had very good power in their fists but the only separation was that Bob Foster had longevity on his side, Julian lost his title to Gerald McClelland, who could also hit. I always say a great fighter knows his own limitations, Bob knew he did not have it anymore when he had that draw against Jorge Ahumada in June 1974. Foster was being pressured by the WBA and WBC to fight their mandatory challengers, Victor Galindez and John Conteh or be stripped of their bodies title, so he retired. But I think in 1974 Foster knew he did not have it anymore. So he retired as champion but Jackson and Foster at light heavyweight would have been a real barn burner, they were similar in size