This was the tournament put on by the WBA, to determine Ali’s successor while he was in exile. The best of the bunch, Smokin’ Joe, didn’t participate. It feels like it was yesterday.
You are so right about the fast passage of time since that 1967/68 Tournament was held. I was rooting for my boyhood hero Floyd Patterson to win it all. Jerry Quarry won a very disputed fight with Floyd, and would advance to knock out Thad Spencer and lose to Jimmy Ellis who would be the overall winner. I also rooted for Ernie Terrell in his tournament fight with Thad Spencer, which he lost by decision. My biggest disappointment was with Karl Mildenberger losing to Oscar Bonavena in the first round of competition. I felt that Karl had too much finesse for Bonavena. This fight with Jimmy Ellis and Oscar Bonavena was a very good fight and the pure boxing skills of Jimmy Ellis was there to behold. Seems like yesterday to an elderly man now, but those were my favorite fight days and favorite fighters.
Nuestro querido Oscar Bonavena,un valiente pesado de manos respetables q tuvo q lidiar con unos piés planos q condicionaron enormemente sus performances ya q si observan,podrán notar el detalle en su traslación,en la manera de lanzar los golpes sin la suficiente sustentabilidad,en los retrocesos y en las fintas buscando esquivar los golpes del rival. Si bien no era un dechado en técnica,sabemos q las piernas en el box son fundamentales. Jimmy Ellis fué sparring del gran Mohamed alí y tenía características parecidas al gran Alí; y en una época de grandes pesados como Patterson,Quarry,Folley,Frazier,Mildemberger y otros q no vienen a mi memoria,Ringo Bonavena, en base a coraje y actitud,supo estar en la cresta de la ola. Q. E. P. D y brille para el,la luz infinita.
Ellis was an excellent early round finisher. He almost knocked out Earnie Shavers until Earnie cuffed the back if Jimmy’s head and held it down while unleashing a volcanic uppercut with his free hand. Jimmy fell as if he had been in a minefield and tragically stepped on the wrong spot. Bottom line is that Jimmy Ellis was much more than a sparring partner for his friend…what’s his name…Ali? Yes, thats it.
Two pretty solid yet underrated heavyweights in a surprisingly enjoyable bout. It’s unfortunate they had to compete in an era where Ali, Frazier and Foreman were around. There so many heavyweights from the 60s and 70s who would have been champs in almost any other time period.
Had the first Frazier vs Bonavena fight not been fought in New York, and scored on the rounds system Oscar would have won the fight based on the two knockdowns.
Pobre bonavena lo admire siempre pero debo reconocer que fue mediocre su mejor virtud fue vender humo luego solo encaraba. Era lento torpe y carente totalmente de técnica.aguantador para recibir palisa eso si.por algo siempre dijeron que el mejor boxeador argentino de esa época era monzon.
era vende humo si mayor virtud quiza fue vender las peleas era torpe, lento, con poca tecnica nada sobresaliente solo era duro y valiente pero aun asi con todos esas carencias fue uno de los contedientes al titulo de su epoca puedo hacer grandes peleas contra algunos de los mejores pesos pesados de la historia como ali y frazier y lograr algunas victorias destacables tambien sin el mejor peso pesado argentino.
Después de ver varias peleas de Ringo y soy argentino , empiezo a creer que su mayor virtud era recibir y aguantar golpes , no era técnico y siempre que le ponían un moreno alto se le complicaba la pelea en pocas palabras no tenía talento solo aguante !
This was considered a bit of an upset. But what was most surprising was how Ellis both dominated the fight, and put Bonavena on the canvas. I don't think anyone expected that.
