Mac Foster facts for kids

MacArthur "Mac" Foster (born June 27, 1942 – died July 19, 2010) was an American professional heavyweight boxer. He was known for his powerful punches.

Mac Foster competed in boxing from 1966 to 1976. Out of his 36 professional fights, he won 30 of them. What's amazing is that all of his victories were by knockout! He fought and beat other strong boxers like Thad Spencer and Cleveland Williams. He even fought the legendary Muhammad Ali in 1972.

Early Life and Military Service

Mac Foster was born in Alexandria, Virginia. He was the third of eleven children in his family. His parents were sharecroppers in Mississippi, which means they farmed land owned by someone else and paid rent with a share of their crops.

Later, his family moved to Fresno, California, where his father worked as a nurse. As a young boy, Mac helped his family by picking grapes and cotton. He was offered a scholarship to Fresno State University for track and field, but he chose a different path.

Instead of college, Mac joined the United States Marines. While serving in the Marines, he became a very good amateur boxer, winning fourteen titles. He also served two tours of duty in the Vietnam War. After leaving the Marines as a sergeant, Mac Foster decided to become a professional boxer. He trained at the Merced Street Gym with Pat DiFuria.

Mac Foster's Boxing Career

Mac Foster was 6 feet 2 inches tall and was known as "Big Mac The Knife from Fresno." He started his professional boxing career in 1966. He won his first 24 fights in a row, all by knockout! Because of his impressive start, The Ring magazine named him their "Progress of the Year" in 1969. A British boxing magazine even wrote that he "could certainly whack!" meaning he could hit very hard.

Mac Foster also worked as a sparring partner for famous boxers. He once sparred with former world champion Sonny Liston. It was said that Mac even knocked Liston down during one of their sparring sessions!

Big Fights and Challenges

In 1969, Mac Foster continued his winning streak. He knocked out fellow boxer Thad Spencer in the very first round. He also beat Cleveland Williams twice by knockout.

By 1970, Mac Foster was considered the number one heavyweight boxer in the world. Many thought he would soon get a chance to fight for the world title. However, his amazing 24-0 winning streak ended when he lost to the more experienced Jerry Quarry in June 1970. After this loss, Foster quickly bounced back. He knocked out Zora Folley in the first round.

Facing Muhammad Ali

One of Mac Foster's most famous fights was against the legendary Muhammad Ali. This fight happened in Tokyo, Japan, in April 1972. It was a special 15-round fight, not for a title.

Ali had predicted he would stop Foster in the fifth round. But Mac Foster proved him wrong by lasting the entire 15 rounds! Even though he went the distance, Foster lost the fight by a clear decision. The judges gave almost all the rounds to Ali. Before this fight, Mac Foster had never been in a professional fight longer than eight rounds.

Later Fights and Retirement

After his fight with Ali, Mac Foster won two more fights by knockout. However, he then lost three fights in a row by decision.

In 1974, he helped George Foreman prepare for his world title fight against Ken Norton by being his sparring partner. Mac Foster officially retired from boxing in 1976 after losing his fourth consecutive fight. His final record was 30 wins and 6 losses. All 30 of his wins were by knockout, showing just how powerful his punches were!

Later Life and Legacy

After retiring from boxing, Mac Foster continued to be involved in the sport. He volunteered his time to coach young boxers, sharing his knowledge and experience with the next generation.

Death

Mac Foster passed away on July 19, 2010, at the age of 68. He died from MRSA, which is a type of bacterial infection. His body was laid to rest at the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in Santa Nella, California.

Personal Life

Mac Foster was married to Yolanda. Together, they had four children: Gregory, Joshua, Nathaniel, and Nicole.