Would Bob Foster win a heavyweight title if he was around in the 1980s.

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by JackSilver, Mar 26, 2018.



  1. InMemoryofJakeLamotta

    InMemoryofJakeLamotta I have defeated the great Seamus Full Member

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    They say Foster tried to get bigger, but he couldn't get above 188 or so. No doubt that Spinks being able to make himself heavier played a role in his success. I honestly believe that a 200+ pound Michael Spinks would've been especially formidable at HW had he fought in the era of 185 pound heavies.
     
  2. Titan1

    Titan1 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    No.Tyson would humiliate him, as would Dokes and Thomas.
     
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  3. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    I doubt that Foster would have done well at heavyweight in any era to be honest.
     
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  4. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    1880s?
     
  5. 70sFan865

    70sFan865 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Maybe very brief moment between Jeffries and Johnson? Far from a sure thing, but he could beat Hart and beating Burns wouldn't be impossible either (though far from sure).
     
  6. The Senator

    The Senator Active Member Full Member

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    An interesting sub-question would be if Foster could have come away with the Cruiserweight title at any point.
     
  7. Tonto62

    Tonto62 Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    No he wouldn't, he didn't have the frame to take the shots from the big boys.
     
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  8. NoNeck

    NoNeck Pugilist Specialist Full Member

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    He fought his share of cruiserweight fights. It just wasn’t called cruiserweight. And he was mediocre.

    But mediocre is still good enough to beat some of the bottom rung of cruiser titlists (I.e. Bernard Benton, Alonzo Ratliff).
     
  9. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Fosters Body type tells the story, long, lean, narrow at the shoulders, waist, skinny legs. He just didn't have the frame to deal with fighters over 200lbs effectively . Between Holmes and Tyson there was nothing special. But even in that group of PRETENDERS, they would handle Foster. Foster simply wasn't built for Heavyweight.
     
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  10. GoldenHulk

    GoldenHulk Boxing Addict Full Member

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    No durability against heavyweights, and I don't see him doing well at 190 lbs either.
     
  11. reznick

    reznick In the 7.2% Full Member

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    Foster is living breathing proof that talent has its limits against size. If he can’t do it nobody can. He was an absolute punisher at LHW, and couldn’t even beat club fighters at HW. Mike Tyson would punch a whole through him. It would be blood guts and gore. Think of a horror movie scene. It would be like that, come on, I mean come on! Ridiculous fanboy get on your treadmill.
     
  12. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    Can't see him beating any decent top names in that era . Maybe a few of the journey men around then but even that's a maybe.
     
  13. Jel

    Jel Obsessive list maker Full Member

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    I wonder if he could have made 168 in the super middle era. If he could have, I'd pick him over everyone except maybe Roy Jones.
     
  14. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member Full Member

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    This is it. Foster's style did not transfer well to heavyweight as he lost his greatest asset in power. He was a terrifying boxer/stalker at 175 but didn't have near the bulk or durability to pull it off at heavyweight.

    Spinks was a totally different fighter. He too went from being an absolutely immense puncher at 175 to a very very average one at heavyweight. One can say but he stopped Tangstad and Cooney but truth be told he hit Cooney with enough clean punches to drop a house and the fight was finished with Cooney still standing and quite coherent. It was a terrible version of Cooney as well and he'd never proven his durability. He went deep with Larry mostly because Larry had a plan to minimize risks against such a huge hitter and take him deep. He had him in plenty of trouble early but eliminated the chances of a lucky punch and outboxed him nicely before the coupe de grace. Michael landed plenty of clean punches on Holmes with virtually no effect at all.

    What Spinks had tho was great elusiveness and that herky jerky boxing ability that was extremely effective. Spinks was the most underrated defensive technician of his era and it served him well at heavyweight. He had the adapatability to go from being the power laden boss at 175 to an extremely careful and cautious (and quite effective) boxer at heavyweight. He had the ability to completely disregard his ego and play the role of the little man. In the Holmes rematch he basically avoided all the action he could for multiple rounds until Holmes lost that early snap. Even then a well declined Holmes hurt him multiple times in their bouts.

    It would have been good to see Michael against some of the true contenders to really get a gauge on him as a heavy. He was at least quite handy there tho he was the right man in the right place at the right time against Holmes.
     
  15. redrooster

    redrooster Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    are you kidding? Imagine skinny Foster up against a monster like Gerry Cooney \. he's too small. that's always been his problem