To expand on another thread concerning sparring partners getting the better of their employers.[Smith/Johnson], here is S I 's account of the Mac Foster /Sonny Liston sparring ko. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1083204/3/index.htm#top
Wow, cheers for this never even knew this occured. Good post As a side note, you being a knowledgable fella, have you come across anything about the Elmer Ray-Charley Burley sparring session. Did he really KO him or is it all hearsay?
Good stuff. This was after Liston had been brutally KO'd by Leotis Martin, right ? I tend to think Liston's punch resistance post-1964 was very shaky indeed. Largely because the guy was just plain old (45 ?), and didn't train right. Even in Lewiston, Maine, I think Liston was possibly genuinely wobbled/floored .... yes, I think he made a meal of it and was looking for a way out, but that punch and a similar one before it, did stun him somewhat. I'm not 100% convinced he ever had an all-time granite chin. Even Howard King was said to have sent him reeling, and Marty Marshall, a light-heavy, floored him. On the other hand, he absorbed some good shots from Big cat Williams so his chin was obviously pretty good.
I remember the build up on Foster 24-0 24KO's 6"3 220 Marine, I bought the tickets to Foster-Quarry in MSG, It was an exciting fight but Quarry's chin and body work had Mac ripe by the 6th round...I went on to see Quarry against Shavers who Quarry blew out in 1 and Lyle, who after Quarry rocked went into the survival mode...I thought Quarry had the style to beat Foreman who was a step above the others but Quarry's chin,decent power and stamina may have enabled him to come out ahead of Big George but it never happened...after the Lyle-Foreman fight I said Quarry could have done it.
I agree that Jerry had the tools to beat Big George at the Lyle stage of his career, but by that point he has been emotionally devestated by Ali, and was not quite the same fighter he was pre Ali, I defenitly think Quarry would be a huge obstacle, but a prime Foreman was just an absolute monster
More of an "in general" comment, you are digging up some great photos and articles. I don't know where you get the time, but keep it up.
I seem to recall George Foreman was also supposed to of had the better of Liston during a sparring session, (but will have to refresh on that !) young pups putting the bite on old dogs in sparring is nothing new i suppose, Pre Championship, (circa 62/63) Cassius Clay Led Ingo Johansen a merry dance in a sparring session, But did supposedly did get the worst of it against a more mature Ernie Terrell, Jeff Merritt Broke Earnie Shavers Jaw in Sparring.
I am a bit puzzled that this story is news. I read about it in a "Boxing News" article more than 20 years ago. I might even have the cutting somewhere in my files. Woller
I didn't think it was news, more like a definitive corroboration of what had been rumored for a long time.