Prime Ken Norton v prime Mac Foster

That's a toughie. Norton was miles more talented than Foster, but Mac possessed Foreman-like power. It could have only taken one big one to have Ken doing a dance. If I was Ken's management I would have steered clear of this kind of a fight. And as a matter of fact, they did.

 

Foster would have to come out looking for the kill right away. If he did, Foster in one.

 

I can see Foster taking this not only because of his power but Norton will probably be mentally beat going into this knowing hes facing such a heavy hitter. Once you had Norton beat mentally forget it.

 

Foster would kayo Norton in one round. Joe Frazier may have had reservations about fighting Mac Foster also.

 

A big banger always has a particular bane, and that is a counter-puncher with a good chin. Watch fights like Ali-Foreman, Starling-Honeyghan, both Sanchez-Lopez fights, Lujan-Zamora and you can see what I mean. This was Quarry's wheel-house. He thrived against Mac Foster, Ron Lyle and Earnie Shavers. All big bangers who were favored to beat him. Of course, with Quarry I'm talking about the clubbing style of puncher. A Joe Frazier buzz-saw style will beat Jerry 10 times out of 10. Speed always seemed to kill when it came to Jerry.

 

Mac packed a hard punch but his 24-0 with 24 KO's going into the Quarry scrap warrants an asterisk. He'd laid out over the hill 'greats' in that span and had never fought a top contender before Quarry and...after! He sort of reminds me of Cooney; cherry picking former contenders who were well past their prime. I could be wrong but I'll take Norton in this one pvp. The awkward Norton style would, at least, put a bit of a halter on Mac's power plus the only time he was in against top flight fighters he lost!
But I have respect for Foster for this simple reason: He attended Jerry Quarry's funeral!!

 

If Foster lands the same big right on Norton that Mac landed on Quarry, it would be snooze time for Ken. Foster's problem was that he fought Quarry when Jerry was near his best. Which is kinda a tough break for Foster, as Quarry was maddeningly inconsistent.

Would be an interesting fight, both the same size. I take Foster, the Foster prior to the Quarry fight, as Mac had not learned to lose yet.

 

Very insightful post. It's an overgeneralization that every big puncher's bane is the same thing -- some are chinny, some were prone to cuts or had trouble with movers, some have had stamina issues, etc. -- but you nailed it on the head here and it's true for many punchers for sure.

 

I seem to recall there was some talk of this bout happening pre 1973. not sure why both these California based guys did not step into the ring with each other. i do not recall any talk of sparring together either. Kind of like Boone Kirkman back then, Foster had that big record alright but it was hardly against anyone better than a B grade fighter. Did pretty well against Ali that shocked a lot of folks.

Norton had the superior corner & I think his conditioning and body work take the fight out of Mac halfway through the fight. If not earlier. And then it'd be awful tough for Foster to stay in the fight and not get stopped.

It was so tough with boxing heavies back then because there were just a bunch of up and coming types that were strictly regional fighters. Guys would have nice records and so forth in that comfy pocket of theirs.

 

I think I heard of Foster and Norton sparring with each other when both were in the Marines. I think Foster got the best of him.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cLs9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=4SsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2593,28194475&dq=&hl=en

 

Defense

https://streamable.com/6p982

Foster wasn't that good, but he had the intangibles of elite power and durability that will always find a home in the heavyweight division.

 

And upset a guy like Joe Frazier, or possibly a young George Foreman.

 

Foster had a t-rex reach, and he really wasn't an infighter, he got his reputation beating washed-up guys like Williams, Spencer and Foley when they were up near 40.

Ali and Quarry had no problem with him even though they struggled mightily with Norton and Frazier