Mac Foster

Foster was born in Alexandria, Virginia,[1] a son, and the third of eleven children, of a Mississippi sharecropping family.[2] He spent his childhood years in Fresno, California, where his father found employment as a nurse. Foster picked grapes and cotton as a youth. Fresno State University offered him a track and field scholarship out of Washington High School, but he declined the opportunity, choosing instead to enlist with the United States Marines. Whilst serving with the Marines he won fourteen amateur boxing titles, and was deployed for two combat tours in the Vietnam War. After a discharge from the Marines with the rank of sergeant, Foster turned professional, becoming the third Fresno boxer of note (Young Corbett III was a world welterweight champion and Wayne Thornton rose through the rankings to become a number one heavyweight contender in 1970). He trained with Pat DiFuria at the Merced Street Gym.[2]

Standing at 6 ft 2" in height and known as "Big Mac The Knife from Fresno", Foster made his professional debut in 1966, winning his first 24 fights by knockout, and was named The Ring's Progress of the Year for 1969. Britain's Boxing Illustrated wrote, "He could certainly whack!"

Whilst being employed as a sparring partner for Sonny Liston, Foster was reputed to have knocked down the former world champion,[3] causing Liston two days later to work Foster over during another sparring session before handlers could intervene between the two men to stop it.[4]

After retiring, Foster volunteered his time as boxing coach for youth.[2]

Foster died at the age of 68 of MRSA on Monday, July 19, 2010. His body was buried at the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in Santa Nella, California.[5]

He married Yolanda, the marriage producing four children, Gregory, Joshua, Nathaniel and Nicole.

• Boxing record for Mac Foster from BoxRec