Tiger - Foster quick overview

Whew, what a hook-to see Tiger CRUMBLE like that is surreal. Frightening power.

This was a case of where Tiger bit a bit more than he can chew moving up.

 

It still amazes me that the same punches that decimated Tiger and Quarry really did not dent small heavyweights like Doug Jones ... so much for the argument that he hits like a heavyweight ...

 

On the other hand, Earnie Shavers couldn't KO Rondon.

Doug Jones was durable, some top heavyweights failed to knock him out or hurt him.

 

Well, Foster probably would have hurt the heavyweights but they just imposed themselves upon him. Even in say, the Terrell fight which was mostly a battle of jabs, Foster was kept off balance by the stronger, heavier man. It's not easy to fight someone bigger than you, especially if you're not used to it - takes a lot of energy.

 

Plus that was very early in Foster's career. He'd only had a few fights thus far. Who knows what, if any kind of power he had yet developed then.

 

What a well fleshed out argument.

 

Thomas Hearns didn't seem to develop knockout power until he turned professional.

But Bob Foster was always a massive puncher even in his amateur days.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbD0g3b3VDc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6A58l_TFdc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG--ajwNHVw

 

Doug Jones was just a better fighter than Foster in that fight.
It's not a case of lightheavyweight power having no impact on heavyweight chin, Jones just pressed Foster all the time and didn't hang about waiting to see if Foster could throw or land his best punch. Jones was up for that fight. He was a very good fighter and probably wouldn't have folded against many recognized heavyweight punchers when he was up for a fight.
Foster was a relatively novice pro AND a late-substitute for that fight.

Foster certainly never developed a great style for taking on heavier men, despite his height. He was too much of a cobra and not enough mongoose.

 

Ernie Terrell was quoted, after knocking out Bob Foster in the 7th, that he "didn't even feel his punches..they were like mosquitos"...but remember, that even ron lyle couldn't put away Vincente Rondon as impressively as Foster.

 

I think Ali acknowledged Foster's power.
Whenever a fighter fakes jelly legs and clowns a bit after taking a punch, it's usually to cover up that the punch did actually hurt.

Obviously, Foster was nothing special as a puncher at heavyweight, and probably just not strong enough with the right style to consistently unleash - nevermind land - his best punches, but it stands to reason that anyone who can do what he did to proven durable 175 pound men can at least hurt a decent heavyweight.