Bob Foster

Titles: Light heavyweight champion 1968-1974 

Record: 56-8-1 

Born: December 15, 1938 in Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA)

Years active: 1961-1978

Nickname: None 


It is incredible how hard Foster could hit when you consider he was not 
a muscular man, in fact he seemed quite skinny looking much like a later 
day Thomas Hearns. At 6 foot 3 he never weighed more than 175 pounds and 
his flat footed style that saw his left hand hang well below his waist 
invited the foolish to lean into his punches. Foster stalked his opponents 
leading with the left jab while looking to land his favorite punch the 
left hook or a straight right hand. Foster was a very serious man and 
while serving as Sheriff in a New Mexico town arrested his wife for 
speeding! After a outstanding amateur career Foster turned pro in 1961 
and won 9 straight before his manager put him in over his head against the 
vastly more experienced Doug Jones who went 10 rounds with Muhammad Ali 
only 5 months later. The result was a predictable loss. Two more losses 
to heavyweight fighters Zora Foley and Ernie Terrell would follow soon 
after. These defeats left Foster confused and thinking of retirement,
thankfully he did not. After 2 years off he returned and won his next 7 
bouts, six by knockout. A title shot soon came his way and against Dick 
Tiger in New York City. 12,000 fans saw the 7 inch taller Foster overcome 
a shaky first round and from the 3rd round on dominate the champion. The
knockout was brutal! A uppercut followed by a left hook left the usually 
tough Tiger out for the full count. For the next 6 years he was unstoppable 
at the light heavyweight level. You would think that Foster would have 
learned from earlier defeats to heavyweights....but he did not. Still people
gave Foster a punchers chance even against the heavyweights. Knockout 
losses to Frazier and Ali were his only setbacks during this time. But at 
light heavyweight he must be considered one of the best ever, if not the 
best. Foster was stripped of the title for a short period but the man who 
assumed his title Vincente Roldon was knocked out in 2 rounds when they
actually met in the ring. After 14 title defenses Foster retired at the 
age of 36, seeing his skills erode and having to settle for a draw with 
Jorge Ahumada in his last defense. A comeback saw him win 5 fights over 
three years but he quit for good after two knockout losses in 1978. Only 
the lack of a great chin stops most from ranking Foster as the best
light heavyweight of all time.


Bob Foster

Career record: 56 W, 8 L, 1 D (46 K.O's)



 
     1961

     27 Mar  Duke Williams           Washington, DC          KO 2
     3 Apr   Clarence Ryan           NY                      W 4
     8 May   Billy Johnson           NY                      W 4
     22 Jun  Ray Bryan               Canada                  KO 2
     8 Aug   Floyd McCoy             Canada                  W 6
     2 Nov   Ernie Knox              VA                      KO 4
     4 Dec   Clarence Floyd          Canada                  KO 4

     1962

     19 May  Billy Tisdale           NY                      KO 2
     27 Jun  Bert Whitehurst         NY                      W 8
     20 Oct  Doug Jones              NY                      KO by 8

     1963

     18 Feb  Richard Benjamin        Washington, DC          KO 1
     29 Apr  Curtis Bruce            Washington, DC          KO 4
     6 Nov   Mauro Mina              Lima                    L 10
     11 Dec  Willie Besmanoff        VA                      KO 3
                                              
     1964

     25 Feb  Dave Bailey             Miami Beach, FL         KO 1
     8 May   Allen Thomas            IL                      KO 1
     10 Jul  Ernie Terrell           NY                      KO by 7
     23 Nov  Norm Letcher            CA                      KO 1
     11 Dec  Don Quinn               VA                      KO 1
     11 Dec  Henry Hank              VA                      KO 10
                                              
     1965

     15 Jan  Roberto Rascon          NM                      KO 2
     21 Mar  Dave Russell            VA                      KO 6
     24 May  Chuck Leslie            LA                      KO 3
     26 Jul  Henry Hank              LA                      W 12
     6 Dec   Zora Folley             LA                      L 10
                                              
     1966

     6 Dec   Leroy Green             VA                      KO 2

     1967

     16 Jan  Jim Robinson            Washington, DC          KO 1
     27 Feb  Andres Selpa            Washington, DC          KO 2
     8 May   Eddie Cotton            Washington, DC          KO 3
     9 Jun   Henry Matthews          VA                      KO 2
     25 Oct  Levan Roundtree         Washington, DC          KO 8
     20 Nov  Eddie Vick              RI                      W 10
     5 Dec   Sonny Moore             Washington, DC          KO 5
                                              
     1968

     24 May  Dick Tiger              NY                      KO 4
             (Won World Light Heavyweight Title)
     29 Jul  Charley Polite          MA                      KO 3
     26 Aug  Eddie Vick              NM                      KO 9
     9 Sep   Roger Rouse             Washington, DC          KO 5
                                              
     1969

     22 Jan  Frank De Paula          NY                      KO 1
             (Retained World Light Heavyweight Title)
     24 May  Andy Kendall            MA                      KO 4
             (Retained World Light Heavyweight Title)
     19 Jun  Levan Roundtree         GA                      KO 4
     2 Nov   Chuck Leslie            LA                      KO 5
                                              
     1970

     24 Feb  Bill Hardney            FL                      KO 4
     9 Mar   Cookie Wallace          FL                      KO 6
     4 Apr   Roger Rouse             MT                      KO 4
             (Retained World Light Heavyweight Title)
     27 Jun  Mark Tessman            MD                      KO 10
             (Retained World Light Heavyweight Title)
     18 Nov  Joe Frazier             MI                      KO by 2
             (For World Heavyweight Title)
     1971
     2 Mar   Hal Carroll             PA                      KO 4
           (Retained World Light Heavyweight Title)
     24 Apr  Ray Anderson            FL                      W 15
            (Retained World Light Heavyweight Title)
     17 Aug  Vernon McIntosh         FL                      KO 3
     29 Oct  Tommy Hicks             PA                      KO 8
          (Retained World Light Heavyweight Title)
     16 Dec  Brian Kelly             OK                      KO 3
           (Retained World Light Heavyweight Title)
                                              
     1972

     7 Apr   Vincente Rondon         FL                      KO 2
            (Retained World Light Heavyweight Title)
     27 Jun  Mike Quarry             NV                      KO 4
             (Retained World Light Heavyweight Title)
     26 Sep  Chris Finnegan          England                 KO 14
            (Retained World Light Heavyweight Title)
     21 Nov  Muhammad Ali            NV                      KO by 8
                                              
     1973

     21 Aug  Pierre Fourie           NM                      W 15
             (Retained World Light Heavyweight Title)
     1 Dec   Pierre Fourie           South Africa            W 15
             (Retained World Light Heavyweight Title)
                                              
     1974

     17 Jun  Jorge Ahumada           NM                      D 15
             (Retained World Light Heavyweight Title)


    1975

     28 Jun  Bill Hardney            NM                      KO 3

     1976

     8 May   Al Bolden               MT                      KO 3
     28 Aug  Harold Carter           MT                      W 10
     25 Sep  Al Bolden               WA                      KO 6
                                              
     1977

     2 Sep   Bob Hazelton            Curacao                 KO 10
                                              
     1978

     9 Feb   Mustafa Wassaja         Denmark                 KO by 5
     3 Jun   Bob Hazelton            KS                      KO by 2