Ali, Foster in verbal bout

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32874, 24 March 1972, Page 20

Ali, Foster in verbal bout

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright;

TOKYO.

“Mac Foster talks too much. He’s a bit too verbose, and I’m gonna cook his goose on April 1, in Japan,” the former world heavy-weight champion, Muhammad Ali, declared in an interview after an opening sparring session.

He will meet Foster in a 15-round bout at Tokyo’s Budokan Hall.

In the interview in the ring at the Korakeun boxing hall before a capacity crowd of 2500 fans, Ali said that he was a better boxer than Foster and that a “great boxer” like him did not require so much training as Foster. The 15-round bout will be the first professional heavyweight match ta Japan, and also the first fight between two foreign boxers in Japan.

The former world champion, replying to a question as to whether and when he would again meet the world champion, Joe Frazier, playfully made as if to hit the questioner, saying, "you upset me.” "Frazier is too ugly and the champ, and I’m gonna beat him next September. Foster is better than Frazier in techniques, and I’ll beat him too.” He then promised that if he regained the world title from Frazier, he would hold his title defence in Japan, saying: "I feel at home. People here are so humble and nice. If I can marry again I do hope to get married to a Japanese girl . . . all beautiful girls here should come to me. . . .”

He added that he would bring more heavy-weights to

Japan to introduce heavyweight matches to Japan. Aii parried a question as to whether his weight reducing (Ali’s best weight is round 2181 b, but he now weighu 2221 b) is going smoothly, saying “it’s up to Japanese cooks. Food here is so nice, and the cooks are so good. ... If I fail to make the right weight, they are to be blamed for it.” Ali did not fail to advertise the coming match. Ending his interview, he said: “Thank you so much for turning out today to see me. But if you want to watch a real heavyweight fight in person, do come out on April 1.” Foster also did four rounds at die hall. RESEMBLANCES He boxed with the American heavy-weights, H. Culpepper, whom he brought to Japan from the United States for his resemblance to Ali both in posture and fighting style, and W. Kindred, who resembles the world champion, Frazier. In an interview after the work-out, Foster reiterated that he would knock Ali out. He said: “Ali’s just running like a dog. When he makes one mistake it’ll be the end of the fight. "My trainer and I are working out a new weapon ... something we call a nuisance punch,’’ he said.