Does anyone else feel that Oscar Bonevena was underrated?

[Terry A]

I really don't think he got the credit that he deserves as a fighter. He was very strong, a very heavy handed puncher, very durable(was only stopped by Ali), and had good boxing ability. He just came in when the division was hot with Ali, Frazier ect. He could have been a champion IMO if he came in a bit earlier. You could also make a case for him beating Frazier in their first fight. It was very close and he had Joe out several times. Hes one of my favorite heavyweights.

Funny you should mention Bonavena.
There are 3 heavyweights from the 1970's - 1980's that I really liked and I'm still not sure WHY I liked them so much. Oscar Bonavena was one of them. I think it was because of his bravado and style..if Harry Greb was the "human windmill", then "Ringo" could conceivably have been the Heavyweight windmill, since his style was full speed ahead and punches in bunches from odd angles. I was also a big fan of Victor Galindez & Monzon, so maybe that also had something else to do with why I liked him.

I've heard stories over the years that Oscar knew that Joe Conforte was getting more & more pi$$ed off at Oscar for dating Conforte's wife Sally in the open, and that he (Oscar) knew that somebody would be waiting for him with a gun if he showed back up that day at the Mustang Ranch, yet he did.
He had that "tombstone" courage in and out of the ring. In my opinion, that old lady wasn't worth it. Oscar could have done much better than her, yet, refused to back down. I also think the guy who shot him, Willard Ross Brymer, should have served a life term in prison instead of being paroled early.

Here's a story about Oscar's death.......

http://www.davesworld81.com/killing_at_the_mustang.htm

And here's a piece about how Brymer's son ended up....a chip off the old block!.....
From the Reno Gazette-Journal of July 22, 2005
Shooting in Reno park puts 1 in hospital

A barking dog led to an argument and a life-threatening gunshot wound in a Reno park late Wednesday night.

Police said a 38-year-old man was sitting in Huffaker Park munching a hamburger and fries at about 10 p.m. when a man walked by with his three dogs.

Kevin Kramer’s ****er spaniel, Harley, barked at Willard “Ross” Brymer Jr. Police said Brymer was shot in the chest during the dispute. Brymer underwent surgery Thursday at Washoe Medical Center, Lt. Ron Donnelly said.

Kramer, 51, said during a Thursday interview he shot Brymer in self defense after being hit in the head at least twice and knocked to the ground. Before that, Kramer said he showed Brymer his gun and told him to leave.

“I was in fear of my life,” Kramer said, adding he’s been walking in Huffaker Park for the past 15 years without incident. “I hoped that he was just belligerent and would go away, but unfortunately he didn’t.”

After the Reno men exchanged words, Kramer said he was waiting for traffic to clear to cross the street when he saw Brymer sprint up to him. He said Brymer continued to yell at him about controlling his dog and got very close to his body. Kramer said he showed Brymer his gun and told him to go away, which prompted Brymer to say “shoot me.”

As Kramer was falling to the ground, he said he fired one shot. He then called police on his cell phone while Brymer collapsed in the street.

“I’m glad I took the course to get my permit to carry a concealed weapon because it probably saved my life,” Kramer said. “If I hadn’t been armed, I would not be talking to you today. This just really reinforces having a gun, because you just never know what’s going to happen.”

No arrests were made Thursday and police are looking for more witnesses. Donnelly said detectives have received conflicting reports about what occurred before the shooting.
…

Brymer’s deceased father, Willard Ross Brymer Sr., was sent to prison on a manslaughter charge for the May 1976 killing of boxer Oscar Bonavena at the Mustang Ranch, where the senior Brymer worked as a bodyguard for brothel owner Joe Conforte. He died in 2000 after serving a separate prison term for arranging the sale of Valium to undercover police.

The son served a prison sentence in Nevada after being convicted of possession of narcotics.



The other two heavyweights I liked were Bernardo Mercado and Eddie "the Animal" Lopez. I met Mercado in 1981 and he was super cool. Big hitter. And Lopez, when he fought Leon Spinks, I really enjoyed that fight. For some reason, I just always liked those three. And I'm not Latin either.

I think Bonavena was by far the best of the three I mentioned, followed by Mercado.

Somebody else over-shadowed in the Ali-Frazier-Foreman era was Jimmy Young, although to be honest, I didn't care for his style much. But there's no doubting he was a very skilled boxer.

[slicksouthpaw16]

Funny you should mention Bonavena.
There are 3 heavyweights from the 1970's - 1980's that I really liked and I'm still not sure WHY I liked them so much. Oscar Bonavena was one of them. I think it was because of his bravado and style..if Harry Greb was the "human windmill", then "Ringo" could conceivably have been the Heavyweight windmill, since his style was full speed ahead and punches in bunches from odd angles. I was also a big fan of Victor Galindez & Monzon, so maybe that also had something else to do with why I liked him.

I've heard stories over the years that Oscar knew that Joe Conforte was getting more & more pi$$ed off at Oscar for dating Conforte's wife Sally in the open, and that he (Oscar) knew that somebody would be waiting for him with a gun if he showed back up that day at the Mustang Ranch, yet he did.
He had that "tombstone" courage in and out of the ring. In my opinion, that old lady wasn't worth it. Oscar could have done much better than her, yet, refused to back down. I also think the guy who shot him, Willard Ross Brymer, should have served a life term in prison instead of being paroled early.

Here's a story about Oscar's death.......

http://www.davesworld81.com/killing_at_the_mustang.htm

And here's a piece about how Brymer's son ended up....a chip off the old block!.....
From the Reno Gazette-Journal of July 22, 2005
Shooting in Reno park puts 1 in hospital

A barking dog led to an argument and a life-threatening gunshot wound in a Reno park late Wednesday night.

Police said a 38-year-old man was sitting in Huffaker Park munching a hamburger and fries at about 10 p.m. when a man walked by with his three dogs.

Kevin Kramer’s ****er spaniel, Harley, barked at Willard “Ross” Brymer Jr. Police said Brymer was shot in the chest during the dispute. Brymer underwent surgery Thursday at Washoe Medical Center, Lt. Ron Donnelly said.

Kramer, 51, said during a Thursday interview he shot Brymer in self defense after being hit in the head at least twice and knocked to the ground. Before that, Kramer said he showed Brymer his gun and told him to leave.

“I was in fear of my life,” Kramer said, adding he’s been walking in Huffaker Park for the past 15 years without incident. “I hoped that he was just belligerent and would go away, but unfortunately he didn’t.”

After the Reno men exchanged words, Kramer said he was waiting for traffic to clear to cross the street when he saw Brymer sprint up to him. He said Brymer continued to yell at him about controlling his dog and got very close to his body. Kramer said he showed Brymer his gun and told him to go away, which prompted Brymer to say “shoot me.”

As Kramer was falling to the ground, he said he fired one shot. He then called police on his cell phone while Brymer collapsed in the street.

“I’m glad I took the course to get my permit to carry a concealed weapon because it probably saved my life,” Kramer said. “If I hadn’t been armed, I would not be talking to you today. This just really reinforces having a gun, because you just never know what’s going to happen.”

No arrests were made Thursday and police are looking for more witnesses. Donnelly said detectives have received conflicting reports about what occurred before the shooting.
…

Brymer’s deceased father, Willard Ross Brymer Sr., was sent to prison on a manslaughter charge for the May 1976 killing of boxer Oscar Bonavena at the Mustang Ranch, where the senior Brymer worked as a bodyguard for brothel owner Joe Conforte. He died in 2000 after serving a separate prison term for arranging the sale of Valium to undercover police.

The son served a prison sentence in Nevada after being convicted of possession of narcotics.



The other two heavyweights I liked were Bernardo Mercado and Eddie "the Animal" Lopez. I met Mercado in 1981 and he was super cool. Big hitter. And Lopez, when he fought Leon Spinks, I really enjoyed that fight. For some reason, I just always liked those three. And I'm not Latin either.

I think Bonavena was by far the best of the three I mentioned, followed by Mercado.

Somebody else over-shadowed in the Ali-Frazier-Foreman era was Jimmy Young, although to be honest, I didn't care for his style much. But there's no doubting he was a very skilled boxer.

Very good post and thanks for the article, i always wanted to hear the story behind his death. If he would have left the man's woman alone, then he would still be around today and could have possibly became a boxing trainer or something. Sometime's people are just too bold for their own good and makes the wrong decisions.

[hunkysoupbone]

Yeah Bonavena was tough but he was beat by an ancient Patterson, although the fight was very close.

Floyd never got enough credit for being a good fighter. I think it's because he was down so many times. But he kept getting up!

As for Oscar Bonavena, I think you hit the nail on the head. "Bonavena was tough". I think he's still remembered today because of his durability and toughness. His best wins were against George Chuvalo, Zora Folley, Leotis Martin & Larry Middleton. BUT, he hung around and went the distance with Frazier TWICE, Ron Lyle, Patterson & Jimmy Ellis. Only time he was stopped in a fight was the 15th round vs Ali, as much from exhaustion as from the punch.