1. Al Foreman, was a British-born boxer of the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s who in the last four years of his career won the Canadian lightweight title, British Boxing Board of Control British lightweight title, and British Empire lightweight title.
40 Facts About Al Foreman
1. 2.
Al Foreman unsuccessfully contended for the Canadian Featherweight title against Leo Roy in Montreal on 8 May 1924.
3.
Al Foreman was an amazingly durable fighter in 144 bouts he was stopped only three times, yet knocking out an exceptionally high percentage of his opponents.
4.
Albert Foreman was born in London, England on 3 November 1904.
5.
Al Foreman was orphaned at four years of age, and for ten years lived in an orphanage, the Hayes School for Jewish Boys in Middlesex on the outskirts of London.
6.
Al Foreman began boxing for the British Army with considerable success.
7.
In 1924, Al Foreman moved to Canada from Great Britain, where in time he gained citizenship.
8.
Al Foreman lived intermittently in Montreal during the next ten years of his boxing career, but settled there after his retirement from boxing in 1934.
9.
Al Foreman remained boxing in the United States roughly through 1928.
10.
Tremaine was saved from a knockout in the third round only by the closing bell, when Al Foreman tagged him with a right cross that buckled his knees.
11.
On 24 January 1927, released from his Army service, Al Foreman faced former world junior-lightweight champion Mike Ballerino at the arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, impressively winning the close bout in a ten-round points decision.
12.
Al Foreman fought the bout at only 126, as a featherweight, against a heavier 133 pound lightweight Ballerino.
13.
Al Foreman used his right repeatedly on Ballerino, who with an effective defense withstood the blows of his opponent, but noticeably showed the effects of Al Foreman's punches in the first round.
14.
Al Foreman was decisively beaten by his skilled Jewish opponent who "chased the Washington lad all over the ring for the entire ten rounds".
15.
Al Foreman still received a number of well placed punches and had difficulty finishing the bout.
16.
Al Foreman lost to future Junior Welterweight Champion Johnny Jadick on 21 May 1928, in an eight-round points decision at the Polo Grounds in New York.
17.
One of Al Foreman's better known opponents, Jadick would take the World Jr.
18.
Al Foreman earned the right to challenge Kid Roy for the British lightweight title by defeating French boxer George Chabot on 10 October 1928, in a decisive fourth round knockout in Montreal.
19.
Al Foreman first took the Canadian Lightweight title on 22 October 1928, against Leo "Kid" Roy in a second-round TKO.
20.
Al Foreman had, however lived in Montreal for a portion of the last four years, and had obtained Canadian citizenship.
21.
On 25 September 1929, Al Foreman defeated former Featherweight and Jr.
22.
Al Foreman knocked down Dundee five times in the tenth before the referee stopped the fight.
23.
Al Foreman led on points going into the tenth round, but Dundee skilled defense kept him in the fight up until the end when Al Foreman unleashed a terrific flurry of rights, lefts, and body blows on Dundee.
24.
On 13 December 1929, Al Foreman lost the Canadian Lightweight Title to Billy Townsend at the Arena in Vancouver before 3,000 fans, in a twelve-round mixed decision.
25.
Townsend took a commanding seven rounds, while Al Foreman had a decided edge in the fifth and a slight advantage in the sixth with three rounds even.
26.
Al Foreman first took the British and Commonwealth British Empire Lightweight Title on 21 May 1930, defeating Fred Webster at Premierland in London in a stunning Technical Knockout that occurred only 1:05 into the first round.
27.
Holtzer fared best in the ninth and tenth as Al Foreman tired, but in much of the bout, Al Foreman forced the fighting, and chased an elusive opponent whose best defence was a frequent crouch or block with his gloves.
28.
Al Foreman defended his British and British Empire Lightweight Title against George Rose at Kings Hall in Manchester, England in a classic sixth-round knockout on 20 October 1930.
29.
On 17 March 1932, Al Foreman had a rare loss to Nel Tarleton in a twelve-round points decision at the Anfield Football Ground in Liverpool.
30.
Tarleton was the reigning British Featherweight Champion at the time, and Al Foreman was rated in the top two of lightweight contenders in the world, according to most standings.
31.
Al Foreman weighed 135, giving him a six-pound advantage over Tarleton.
32.
Al Foreman briefly lost his British Empire lightweight title on 24 April 1933 against Jimmy Kelso in a fifteen round points decision in Sydney Stadium in Sydney, Australia.
33.
Al Foreman defeated Jimmy Kelso in a British Empire Lightweight Title match in a third round disqualification, at Sydney Stadium in Sydney, Australia on 22 May 1933.
34.
On 19 September 1933, Al Foreman regained the Canadian Lightweight Championship as well as defending his Commonwealth of the British Empire Lightweight Championship, beating Tommy Bland in a ten-round mixed decision before a crowd of 5,000 at the Mount Royal Arena in his Canadian hometown, Montreal.
35.
Al Foreman won the bout with hard blows to the body and head of Bland, though the youthful Bland withstood the punishment.
36.
Al Foreman mounted a strong right hand offensive and a careful and deliberate style against the two handed attack of Bland.
37.
Al Foreman had been away from Canada fighting in England, and had formerly lost the title to Billy Townsend in Vancouver on 13 December 1929.
38.
Al Foreman's lost his last bout against Petey Sarron at Griffith Stadium in Washington, DC, on 29 June 1934, in a ten-round split decision.
39.
Al Foreman acted as a boxing promoter as well, working often at the Montreal Forum.
40.
Al Foreman joined the Royal Air Force at the outbreak of WWII, receiving a Distinguished Flying Cross for flying 37 missions during the war.