Joe Frazier vs Oscar Bonavena I - Sept. 21, 1966 - Rounds 1 - 3 

RIP, Joe Frazier. Wish there was more fighters like you.

I was right there and saw it live from ringside. What I remember most was after Joe got up both times, we saw fire and determination in his eyes, no fear or worry. That impressed me and my friend.

Bonavena was originally trained by Charlie Goldman who shaped Marciano. But, Oscar did not have Rocky's drive, brains, or willingness to sacrifice and the pair parted company. Too bad, Oscar could have gone even further.

Joe was pretty young at time of this fight, and didnt yet bob and weave to avoid punches. Amazing that he won gold medal with a broken thumb. A real class guy too.

Very close to changing the course of history!

damn what a comeback by Frazier, 1 more KD woulda did it. and he stormed back to to beat Bonavena. He's had so many wars of attrition no wonder his career didn't last as long as some of the other all-timers. but while Frazier's championship reign lasted shorter, it burned brightly. RIP Joe

Good footage. I notice Frazier's narrow escape here and, together with Ali's escape against Henry Cooper, it shows how fine the margin can be between becoming a legend and being an also-ran.

GRACIAS RINGO!!!!!!!!!

Que pena que Ringo no lo pudo terminar en el 2 round igual esta en la historia grande del box.Ringo querido nunca te vamos a olvidar.!!!!!

Too bad Ali and Frazier did not fight in 1966 or early 1967, before Ali was deprived of the right to fight. That would have been very interesting.

Oscar bonavena could have gone further in his career had he stayed in fighting shape after the ali bout.Oscar liked to party and women.cant argue his logic.bonavena still had an impressive record.

that right cross that dropped joe was some shot -- and with the second knockdown, joe fell back just like he did against foreman. amazing recovery by the future champion, to beat the tough oscar after those knockdowns.

Oscar feared no one.

@MrSladeTheBlade hmm..... I have no idea. but there is some color at the bottom of the screen. lol

Fue y sera un genio te qeremos RINGO un fenomeno tambien como ser humano.

Ahh..Johnny Addie doing the introductions and Don Dunphy doing the blow by blow, those were the days. Personally, I can't stand all the pyrotechnics and the "Let's get ready to rumble" garbage that accompanies today's bouts. Let the sport speak for itself. I saw this fight on free TV in my fraternity dining room, one TV for the whole house. When Joe went down, it was a shocker. He was an all time great. Oscar was a tough, tough brawler.

Wow. Frazier dodged a bullet in round 2. This is the first I've ever heard that Frazier was down twice in a fight before Foreman.

This fight allways made me have second thoughts about JOE vs ROCKY even though Ringo was bigger than ROCKY he couldn't hit like ROCKY

Two Great Warriors and Two Great Smokers, Legends,, but that night at Smoking Joe went the smoke in the eyes🥊❤️ poetry boxing

Fighters today are bigger, yes, men like Frazier and Bonavena were so much more skilled as boxers. Look at the head movement, jabbing.

Joe lost this fight. I remember it well.

Ringo Banavena from Buenos Aires, Argentina...put Joe Frazier (an all time great from USA) down twice... Pretty shocking for the nation... Ringo Bonavena could have knocked him out in that very round... Same thing with Ali in Round 9... What a legend!

OSCARRRRRR!!!!! 08:42 RINGOOOOOO!!!! 09:00 BONAVENAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

AGUANTE BONAVENA!

El personaje de Rocky no está inspirado en Ringo Bonavena. Sylvester Stallone ha reconocido en numerosas ocasiones que lo creó tras fijarse en Chuck Wepner, concretamente en su combate contra Mohammed Alí en 1975. Un boxeador ya mayor, bajo de forma, humilde, ajeno a los grandes éxitos, valiente, encajador y de raza blanca que reta a un gran campeón arrogante y con todas las papeletas para destrozar a su contrincante. Creo que las coincidencias son más que evidentes. Su otra gran inspiración fue, sin duda, el propio Joe Frazier. Al igual que él en la vida real, Rocky Balboa también vive en Philadelphia, donde trabaja en un matadero y se entrena subiendo las escaleras del Museo de Arte de la ciudad. Tampoco es casual que Smokin' Joe haga un cameo en Rocky III, interpretándose a sí mismo. En cuanto al paralelismo entre los orígenes y el apellido de Balboa-Bonavena, Stallone no tuve que irse tan lejos. Su inspiración fue su propia ascendencia italiana, muy evidente además en su aspecto físico. Difícilmente podria interpretar a un boxeador irlandés o centroeuropeo. En cuanto a Bonavena, aún siendo buen boxeador, demostró estar un escalón por debajo de los más grandes, con todo el mérito que ello implica. Atribuir sus derrotas contra ellos a supuestos amaños arbitrales me parece insostenible. Aquí mismo tenemos las imágenes que lo confirman.

ringo bonavena was one strong dude. would have been interesting if he had fought big george foreman.

@greenrate --Oscar gave Joe trouble twice. He was fortunate to win this one

@Nemesis2151 thanks!

Ringo Bonavena won this fight, had it been in Buenos Aires, Ringo's hometown, instead of Fraziers hometown of Philadelphia Ringo, no doubt, gets his hand raised.

LE ARRANCO LA CABEZA!! LO DEJO EN PILOTO AUTOMATICO A LOS SALTITOS!!! INCREIBLE ZAPALLAZO.. Frazier is looking for his head

and the world is round :)))

Y este rincooonn... Oscar Ringo Bonavenaaaa...de pie señores...Q guapea BONAVENA....!!!!

Esta foto de Stallone y Wepner ilustra un artículo en el que se hace referencia al documental "The real Rocky", donde se describe la relación entre el boxeador real y el personaje: latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2011/10/chuck-wepner-examines-his-rocky-life-in-epsns-the-real-rocky.html

My score card R 1. Frazier 10 Ringo 10 R 2 Frazier 7 Ringo 10 R 3 Frazier 10 Ringo 9 R 4 Frazier 10 Ringo 9 R 5 Frazier 10 Ringo 9 R 6Frazier 10 Ringo 10 R7 Frazier 10 Ringo 9 R8 Frazier 9 Ringo 10 R 9 Frazier 10 Ringo 9 R10 Frazier 9 Ringo 10 115-115 exactly fair point.

Ringo had won this fight!

Oscar was tough as nails--tragic end to his life.

@TG7111P well, you're welcome! :D

Rocky Balboa is Ringo Bonavena

8:40 8:58

Sento. De raja dos veces a freisier y a este lo ayudaton en el conteo, le dieron todo el tiempo del mundo y bonavena honrado le dio todo el tiempi del mundo. Le pudo haber ganado demas a este weon. Con ali la misma hueva, pero ali a la mafia no le diero ni una oportunidad al argentino. Grande bonavenaz irxa estados unidos en esa época y hacer tamaña gracia.

Con mike tayson no hubiera tenido chance igual grande ringo

@primeboxers hilarious!

08:40 wow Bonavena, italian-argentino stallion 08:58

Don Dumphy starts his comments out by saying "In Color from Madison Square Garden" - has anyone seen the Color version? For years all I've seen is this BW version - any ideas were the Color footage might be?

Had Ringo been a polished fighter, he would have knocked Frazier out in 2.

@BringerOfTheTruth I agree, they suck donkeyballz!

@yusufu9 yes interesting,like lyle foreman .i think it would be toe toe and george would prevail,bet on it

Oscar the greatest strongest fighter ever.

Old dudes keep dragging up rocky raccoon, the 180 lb little dude that would have stood up about 30-40 seconds against Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Tyson, etc. just stop it.

IF that Joe Fraizer fought Muhammad Ali a lot sooner when Ali was in his Prime like if they fought around 67 or 68 then he would have lost againts Ali it would have been no contest!!! When Ali was in his Prime nobody could beat him he would have beaten the Sheat out of Fraizer!!! Fraizer was so lucky that he fought Ali when the Greatest stoped fighting for 3 years because of his stripped of his title because of all the fiasco of Veitnam that really slowed down Ali a lot. That's a fact to reckon with!

The announcer said Frazier was nearly 6 ft tall... I met Joe Frazier in the late 1970's....no way he was more than 5' 9" max.

The bashful cloudy naively impress because postbox totally radiate given a complex reduction. debonair, inconclusive watchmaker