Star Crossed

George Foreman

v.

Robert Davila

31 October 1969

Madison Square Garden

New York

The featured bout saw George Foreman, Olympic heavyweight champion, get more points than Peru's Robert Davila,203,in their 24 minute argument.

Foreman, 214, still in the process of finding what it is all about in professional ranks, did well against a much more experienced opponent. Some of the spectators did not like George's showing. They came for a knockout and did not like watching the thing last the full eight rounds.

Davila came near spoiling the entertainment for the Olympian in the sixth round with a looping right.

"I did not wish to be hit with another of those things," Foreman explained after it was all over.

The Foreman corner entered a complaint against referee Harold Valan for not stopping the fight in the eighth round. However, the third man did the right thing. Davila was gory from a cut eye but otherwise was not too heavily handicapped.

One of the judges, Bill Recht, called it 7-0-1. Valan scored it 7-1 and so did judge Harold Lederman. Davila was given the fourth round.

Foreman had won seven straight without having gone into round number four.

George did not orally back up trainer-manager Dick Sadler in the sqauk against Valan. Teddy Brenner, Garden matchmaker, consoled Foreman with the word that it was just as well the fight had gone the limit, as it was an important factor in the Olympic champion's schooling.

...Cassius Clay came to see Foreman in action and created the customary hullabaloo. Announcer Johnny Addie said nothing about Ali being the world champion, but did tell the house that he was about to star in a musical called "Buck White"

There might have been a little action by some hotheads when Mike Quarry, Jerry's kid brother, got a split decision over Ruben Figueroa, of the Bronx.

However, the protesting fans were quieted down and Mike wrote into his record a second disputed verdict over Ruben

The fight of the card saw Bill Drover, a tough hombre from Wabush, Labrador, stop Forest Ward in 2:39 of the sixth round

Ward was in serious trouble all the way with three trips to the deck. When he got up from listening to referee Zack Clayton's seven in the sixth, the fight was stopped.(1)

-Nat Loubet. The Ring

The great irony of this night was that in the building were the three men who within one day of five years would meet in a ring in the heart of Africa for one of the greatest heavyweght championship fights of all time. The men, George Foreman, in the crowd this night Muhammad Ali and refereeing the Quarry fight Zack Clayton.

Cosmic Preamble to the Rumble in the Jungle

Vintage Original Poster

Price: $ 415.00

Size: 22 x 28 inches

Condition: VG. Staining to lower right corner, and random very mild surface wrinkling, paper loss lower center margin affecting text of 'On Sale At Garden Box Office" generally in the condition of actual on-site poster. Presents well.

Shipping and handling $ 25.00 in the U.S. $40.00 to foreign destinations.

2000-2103

(1) The Ring. February, 1970. Foreman-Davila Goes Eight; Mike Quarry's Victory Is Disputed by Nat Loubet pp. 28 and 57

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