Muhammad Ali's fights with Mac Foster and Oscar Bonavena

Wasn't the fight with Bonavena for a title? I can't remember which one, maybe it was the North American title?

 

I was wondering the same thing.

 

Foreman's bout with Gregorio Peralta was also scheduled for 15 rounds as well, in 1971, where as the first winner of the title (Leotis Martin) defeated Liston in scheduled 12 rounder in 1969.

Strange indeed.

 

Boxrec says the Bonavena fight was for the NABF title.

For the Foster fight, it was in Japan. Doesn't say if for the NABF title, but maybe all title fights are 15 rds over there since Ali had the NABF title at the time.

 

Well it was!
But that isnt the reason ,because the Ali Chuvalo fight in1972 was for the same title ,and that was over 12 rds.:huh

 

Not sure. Don't remember ever seeing the fight with Foster and I've tried hard to forget the lion's share of the Bonavena fight. All I remember is ugly awkwardness then a good finish and Ringo telling Ali he'd beat Frazier afterward.

 

In that era, it wasn't necessary for a 15 rounder to be a title bout, just an affair of great interest and potential significance. I favor the return of this distance as an option outside the confines of title fights.

When Pat O'Grady created the WAO'Grady (as opposed to the WAThomas, as Flash Gordon like to call these abortive organizational attempts), he tried to create a 20 round fight for that WAA heavyweight title for crowning Monte Masters, against Tony Fuliangi, but those plans fell through, and it wound up being a 15 rounder. This is unfortunate, because bucking the accelerating trend away from the championship distance in such a dramatic way might have stemmed the disastrous bleeding which ultimately resulted in the tragic last minute shortage of Tyson-Tucker from 15 to 12 rounds. (With this event, I completed my transformation from boxing aficionado to former fan.) On September 22, 1983, Masters knocked out Fuliangi in 14 rounds, thus becoming the last heavyweight to produce a championship round stoppage.

 

ali was the linear champion and had not lost his title in the ring when he fought oscar.

 

Ali was campaigning as the Peoples champ for a while, I for Mac foster, for Bonavena they wanted to get the work in. 15 rds was a championship bout, no less

 

No world beater for that era for sure...But, I think in this era, which I don't really knock on as a habit like most, I think he'd get one strap based on what you said. Awkward, iron-jawed and capable hitter. He'd get the job done somewhere along the line for an abc belt. Maybe still wouldn't be the linear champ but somewhere, I believe he'd do it. Pull a Corrie Sanders or John Ruiz or something like that.