Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 16, 2026

Muhammad Ali vs. Mac Foster

Muhammad Ali vs. Mac Foster was a professional boxing match contested on 1 April 1972.

Last revised
Jul 16, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
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308 w
Citations
9
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Muhammad Ali vs. Mac Foster
Date1 April 1972
VenueNippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan
Tale of the tape
Boxer United States Muhammad Ali United States Mac Foster
Nickname "The Greatest" "Big Mac The Knife from Fresno"
Hometown Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
Purse $200,000 $80,000
Pre-fight record 34–1 (27 KO) 28–1 (28 KO)
Age 30 years, 2 months 29 years, 9 months
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 226 lb (103 kg) 211+3⁄4 lb (96 kg)
Style Orthodox Orthodox
Recognition WBA/WBC
No. 1 Ranked Heavyweight
NABF heavyweight champion
Former undisputed heavyweight champion		 WBA
No. 9 Ranked Heavyweight
Result
Ali won via 15 round UD

Muhammad Ali vs. Mac Foster was a professional boxing match contested on 1 April 1972.1

Background

Held in Tokyo, it was one of the first major heavyweight boxing matches to be held in Asia. Ali, who came in at a career high 226 lb, predicted he would knock out Foster in five rounds and entered the ring holding the round five ring card.2

The fight

source ↗

Ali won the fight on points through a unanimous decision.345678

Undercard

Confirmed bouts:9

Broadcasting

Country Broadcaster
Mexico Telesistema Mexicano
Philippines ABS-CBN
United Kingdom BBC
United States CBS
References

References

  1. "Muhammad Ali vs. Mac Foster". boxrec.com. BoxRec. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  2. "Ali and Foster in Tokyo Bout to Be Shown Tonight". The New York Times. 31 March 1972. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  3. Thomas Hauser (1991). Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times. Simon & Schuster. pp. 242.
  4. Felix Dennis; Don Atyeo (2003). Muhammad Ali: The Glory Years. miramax books. p. 192.
  5. "Muhammad Ali unanimous winner in Japanese fight". The Dispatch. 1 April 1972. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  6. "Foster earns Ali's respect". The Free-Lance Star. 1 April 1972. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  7. Joe Ryan (2013). Heavyweight Boxing in the 1970s: The Great Fighters and Rivalries. McFarland & Company. pp. 97–8.
  8. "Not only Foster got stung". Sports Illustrated. 10 April 1972. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  9. "BoxRec - event".