Oscar Bonavena
Oscar Natalio Bonavena ( born September 25, 1942 in Buenos Aires, † May 22, 1976 in Virginia City ) was an Argentine heavyweight boxer who was active in the 1960s and 1970s.
Early career
Oscar Bonavena was born the fifth of seven children in a poor family and was of Italian descent. Within his brief amateur career, which included only 15 fights ( 13 KOs at a point defeat ), he was national champion. In 1963 he participated in the Pan American Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and came up in the semifinals. Because of a Beißattacke in his American opponent and eventual tournament winner Lee Carr shoulder the Argentine was not just disqualified, but it was denied him the chance to fight for the bronze medal.
He gave 1964 his professional debut and boxed already from the beginning of his boxers career both in Argentina and in the USA, because of the higher dollar rate against the peso even frame fighting in the United States exceeded the exchanges of major battles in Argentina ( in part) and as a relative wealth boxer led. In the first year of his boxing career he was able to record eight hits in a row - without exception against construction opponent or " Journeymen " of which Tom McNeely, the Bonavena defeated by a TKO in the fifth round, which was best known. Already in his ninth fight, he fought the world rankings Zora Folley boxer, lost as expected and had it even in the eighth round to the ground. The next eleven fights designed Bonavena again victorious among others he was in 1965, Gregorio Peralta in Argentina in front of a record crowd of 30,000 spectators at the Luna Park Stadium in Buenos Aires in the fifth round to the ground, to be declared after 12 rounds for unanimous points winner. With this victory, he was Argentinian Heavyweight Champion. The following year, he lost his second fight, this time against Jose Giorgetti by disqualification, but this was unanimously defeated on points in the subsequent rematch over 10 rounds.
World Ranking Boxer
In 1966 he defeated the out in the world rankings Canadian George Chuvalo. In September 1966 he was engaged as construction opponent for Joe Frazier in his twelfth professional fight. Bonavena reach in the second round two rainfall and he lost the battle ultimately narrowly on points ( the fight ruling was a 2-1 decision).
After Muhammad Ali was stripped of the 1967 world title, the WBA held an elimination tournament for the vacant title. Bonavena defeated first in Frankfurt am Main in September Karl Mildenberger on points, after he had beaten the Germans four times on the ground and it had been down for the count; but lost to the eventual winner of the tournament Jimmy Ellis on points. Ellis scored two knockdowns in this fight.
A victory in the rematch against Folley, whose career is slowly approaching its end, and a point victory over out in the world rankings Leotis Martin enabled him in 1968 to fight again against Frazier at the competitive world title NEW YORK STATE CROWN. He was defeated by now experienced Frazier unanimously on points, but earned in the international sports press and boxing followers a lot of praise especially what was concerned its ability to absorb heavy blows of his opponent without it showed effect on its morale.
In 1969 he defeated Norbert Grupe, against the superior physique of his opponent had little chance and was stopped in the third round, after he had been knocked down five times and had to leave stall count.
1970 fought Muhammad Ali, after he had stopped Jerry Quarry six weeks against Bonavena. Only in the last 15.Runde Ali was able to send his technically limited, but constantly attacking opponent down three times. The fight was scored after THREE- KNOCK DOWN RULE as TKO and was the only time that Bonavena ahead of time lost a battle. Before Ali had announced Bonavena to beat in the ninth round knockout, but was hit hard by a counterattack Bonavenas itself.
Boxing style and boxhistorische Relevance
Bonavena was a technically limited attack boxer who brought forth blows from different and unusual movements. This irritated some technically superior boxer with such a style had problems, especially since this type of boxing is often accompanied by an unfairness. Bonavena was not a good tactician and often ignored his coaching strategies. He was an unpredictable boxer who, when he was underestimated, could make for unpleasant surprises his opponents and had clout, stamina and " takers skills ". Because of these characteristics, he enjoyed a high popularity in many boxing followers ( even outside of his home country ), because he was inside and outside the boxing ring, a colorful character, the polarized. So he moved frequently the dates of his boxing matches or threatened it on so as to exert pressure on the organizers and enforce his higher salary demands. Seen Boxhistorisch he is one of the most important South American heavyweight boxer of all time. Globally, it was a world ranking boxer who was able to hold over 10 years in this without being able to decide his pioneering fighting for themselves.
Later career and death
In 1972 he defeated Floyd Patterson, whose career was in the late autumn. Although he hit Patterson in the fourth round to the ground and this was one that Americans could still carry the point victory. 1974 scored the aspiring Ron Lyle Bonavena from. Bonavena won after this defeat seven fights against build up opponents and reached so that he was still out in the top 20 in the world rankings ( in the WBC World No. 7), when he was assassinated in 1976. At his funeral, the only with that of the tango musician Carlos Gardel - in terms of size and compliance in the Argentine public - could be compared, 150,000 mourners were present, including a former Argentine President, General Alejandro Agustín Lanusse, the then reigning world champion boxer Carlos Monzón and Victor Galindez (a former sparring partner Bonavenas ), the ex-boxing champion Pascual Perez and Horacio Acavallo and celebrities from film, TV, theater, arts and sports. Bonavenas body was publicly laid out at Luna Park in Buenos Aires.