M.Spinks v B.Foster in 1977, who would have won if they met that year?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mark ant, Oct 30, 2020.


  1. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

    36,654
    16,562
    May 4, 2017
    Michael turned pro in `77 after winning a gold at the Olympics while Foster was around 35 and won a title bout in Rd 10 going on to lose his two final bouts the following year, so would Spinks have been too green to beat Bob at that point or would Foster be too shot to beat Spinks in that year?
    Foster was rated 23rd in a list of the top 50 P4P fighters in the last 50 years by the ring mag in `96, while Spinks was rated 24th in the same list.

    Info given on Foster in the ring mag:
    Quality of competition: 9
    Bouts vs top 50 opponents: 3
    Why he was on list: At his weight he was virtually unbeatable.
    What he could have done to improve his ranking: Beaten at least one or two of those big-name heavyweights.

    Spinks info:
    Quality of competition: 8
    Bouts vs top 50 fighters:2
    Why he`s here: He was the only light heavyweight champ to have the heavyweight title when he beat Holmes.
    What he could have done to improve his ranking: Received permission to bring a sledgehammer to the ring Against Tyson.
     
    mark ant, Oct 30, 2020
    mark ant, Oct 30, 2020
    #1
    Richard M Murrieta likes this.
  2. Devon

    Devon Boxing Addict Full Member

    6,443
    5,630
    Dec 31, 2018
    The youth of Spinks would win, Foster was 39 by that point, if he was 34 I might have said experienced Foster beats a raw Spinks, but Foster was too old and would probably be drained forcing himself to make light heavyweight at that point because he was fighting at heavyweight by then, and it's not like Spinks was a novice, he won a gold medal at the olympics, so he would've had enough boxing experience to beat 39 year old Foster
     
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2020
    Devon, Oct 30, 2020
    Devon, Oct 30, 2020
    #2
    Bokaj, George Crowcroft, Richard M Murrieta and 3 others like this.
  3. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

    51,127
    25,302
    Jan 3, 2007
    Reasonable analysis. I agree
     
    mr. magoo, Oct 30, 2020
    mr. magoo, Oct 30, 2020
    #3
    Fergy, George Crowcroft, Richard M Murrieta and 1 other person like this.
  4. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

    36,654
    16,562
    May 4, 2017
    Robert Wayne "Bob" Foster (April 27, 1942 – November 21, 2015,
    Born April 27, 1942
     
    mark ant, Oct 30, 2020
    mark ant, Oct 30, 2020
    #4
    Richard M Murrieta likes this.
  5. Saad54

    Saad54 Boxing Junkie Full Member

    10,832
    6,601
    Dec 10, 2014
    I'm more inclined to wonder who would win prime for prime.

    A first year pro vs an empty shell? Nobody cares.

    That said Spinks probably wins as Foster had nothing by then being out for a few years and looked way past it in 1974.
     
    Saad54, Oct 30, 2020
    Saad54, Oct 30, 2020
    #5
    mark ant and Richard M Murrieta like this.
  6. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Now Deceased 2/4/25 Full Member

    22,635
    30,409
    Jul 16, 2019
    Bob Foster would have been retired for 3 years by then, retired as champion in 1974, he was a law enforcement officer in New Mexico. Michael Spinks on points.
     
    Richard M Murrieta, Oct 30, 2020
    Richard M Murrieta, Oct 30, 2020
    #6
  7. Mike Cannon

    Mike Cannon Boxing Addict Full Member

    4,152
    7,418
    Apr 29, 2020
    Don't get why you didn't pick the Foster of 70/71 ???
     
    Mike Cannon, Oct 30, 2020
    Mike Cannon, Oct 30, 2020
    #7
    George Crowcroft, mark ant and Richard M Murrieta like this.
  8. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

    36,654
    16,562
    May 4, 2017
    Loss 56–8–1 Bob Hazelton TKO 2
    1978-06-02, this was Foster`s last bout.
     
    mark ant, Oct 31, 2020
    mark ant, Oct 31, 2020
    #8
    Richard M Murrieta likes this.
  9. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Now Deceased 2/4/25 Full Member

    22,635
    30,409
    Jul 16, 2019
    Thanks for the info, should have stayed retired.
     
    Richard M Murrieta, Oct 31, 2020
    Richard M Murrieta, Oct 31, 2020
    #9
    mark ant and George Crowcroft like this.
  10. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft He Who Saw The Deep Full Member

    27,131
    44,903
    Mar 3, 2019
    Devon summed it up nicely. Spinks wins this, likely by KO. I'd actually pick (prime, not this verison) Spinks to KO any version of Foster.
     
    George Crowcroft, Oct 31, 2020
    George Crowcroft, Oct 31, 2020
    #10
  11. Richard M Murrieta

    Richard M Murrieta Now Deceased 2/4/25 Full Member

    22,635
    30,409
    Jul 16, 2019
    Before he retired in 1974, in his last title defense against Jorge Ahumada, which was ruled a draw, Foster looked past his prime.
     
    Richard M Murrieta, Oct 31, 2020
    Richard M Murrieta, Oct 31, 2020
    #11
    mark ant and Devon like this.