the demise of Oscar Bonavena.

[warnambool]

Hey all,
Anyone got any info on how O.B. got blown away?
I remember reading it was in Nevada, but what I read was pretty short on details.
Thanks.

[HomicideHenry]

he was killed in a whore house.

[raylawpc]

Well, technically not in a whore house.

On May 22, 1976, Oscar was killed outside the "Mustang Ranch," a famous brothel near Reno, Nevada. Willard R. Brymer, a bodyguard at the ranch, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and served 15 months in prison. Bonavena was shot once in the chest by a bullet from a high-powered hunting rifle. Authoriities believed he died instantly. His body was discovered at a gate outside the ranch.

If I recall correctly, Bonavena was involved with a whore at the ranch, who happened to be Brymer's main squeeze.

[warnambool]

Well, technically not in a whore house.

On May 22, 1976, Oscar was killed outside the "Mustang Ranch," a famous brothel near Reno, Nevada. Willard R. Brymer, a bodyguard at the ranch, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and served 15 months in prison. Bonavena was shot once in the chest by a bullet from a high-powered hunting rifle. Authoriities believed he died instantly. His body was discovered at a gate outside the ranch.

If I recall correctly, Bonavena was involved with a whore at the ranch, who happened to be Brymer's main squeeze.

Thanks for the info.
{good thing for Willard Brymer the big guy never got hold of him}

[Robinson]

15 mths for murder...oops manslaughter.

[raylawpc]

It was a negotiated guilty plea to a lesser-included offense, Robinson.

I miswrote earlier. Bonavena was believed to be involved with the wife of the brothel's owner. Brymer was a bodyguard employed there. Some theorized that the owner may have ordered the bodyguards to shoot Bonavena if he showed up at the brothel. The circumstances of the case were quite mirky (if I recall, there were no eyewitnesses), and the plea bargain may have been the best deal the prosecutors could get.

[HomicideHenry]

Almost reminds me of when that bastard down in Peurto Rico killed Bruiser Brody in the locker room, and claimed self defense. Nobody was around to see the incident, and the man was the owner of the promotion. He got off scott free, and ever since then he dabbled as a wrestler himself and billed himself as 'The Man Who Killed Bruiser Brody'.

In a way, was alot like Sam Sheppard, he was billed a few times, according to his son, as 'Killer' Sam Sheppard, and came into the ring with an executioner's mask and a hangman's rope.

[enrique]

Oscar was sexually involved with Sally Conforte, wife of Joe Conforte, owner of the legal bordello in Nevada.

Apparently, Oscar was hoping for Sally to divorce Conforte and keep the house, which Oscar would run. At the time he was killed, Bonavena was armed with a revolver that he carried in an ankle holster.

Oscar was a great, tough fighter, but as a human being he was known for being a troubled, nit picking. manipulative bully.

[raylawpc]

Oscar was a great, tough fighter, but as a human being he was known for being a troubled, nit picking. manipulative bully.

Agreed. Oscar was one of my favorite fighters . . . until I actually met and spent time with him.

[raylawpc]

Oscar was sexually involved with Sally Conforte, wife of Joe Conforte, owner of the legal bordello in Nevada.

Apparently, Oscar was hoping for Sally to divorce Conforte and keep the house, which Oscar would run. At the time he was killed, Bonavena was armed with a revolver that he carried in an ankle holster.

Yes, its starting to come back to me now. Prosecutors let Brymer plead to voluntary manslaughter because Bonavena was armed with the handgun, and Brymer apparently told authorities that Bonavena had threatened him with it. (Maybe had even pointed it at him or fired a round into the air . . . something.) One of the elements of "voluntary manslaughter" in Nevada is "an attempt by the person killed to commit a serious personal injury on the person killing." NRS 200.050.

[HomicideHenry]

What might have been. Bonavena, imo, beat Frazier the first time they fought, but didn't get the decision. And, imo, he also gave Ali his most competitive match-up until that point, and call me crazy, I truly do see Bonavena winning that bout until he was kayoed. How I would have loved to have seen a Quarry-Bonavena bout!

[SteveO]

And, imo, he also gave Ali his most competitive match-up until that point, and call me crazy, I truly do see Bonavena winning that bout until he was kayoed

After 14 rounds the official scorecards read: 12-2-0, 10-3-1 and 8-5-1 all in favour of Ali.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

After 14 rounds the official scorecards read: 12-2-0, 10-3-1 and 8-5-1 all in favour of Ali.

- Cards just a joke to set up the big money Frazier match.

Ali sure didn't think he was ahead which is why he went buck crazy the 15th with every fiber of his soul going for a big round or KO. He also violated the neutral corner rule as he did throughout his career without penalty and poor Oscar the poor ring general, never attempted to take a full count, instead leaping up and into leaping Ali left hooks.

Ali was completely spent at end of the fight as he himself admitted to. Oscar gave him a major mauling.

[warnambool]

Some very interesting posts there, did Bonavena ever get in with George Chuvalo?
That should have been a knock down kick em in the balls donnybrook?

[HomicideHenry]

The score cards lie, imo. I'd given Bonavena at least 7 rounds with the majority of the remaining 7 rounds it went being even.

Had it went the distance, it wouldn't have mattered, it was predetermined from the start that Ali would get Frazier, not Bonavena a third time.

[raylawpc]

Some very interesting posts there, did Bonavena ever get in with George Chuvalo?
That should have been a knock down kick em in the balls donnybrook?

Bonavena won a majority decision in a 10-rounder on June 23, 1966 at Madison Square Garden.

"Oscar Bonavena, 203, used his left hook like a buzzsaw to chop down George Chuvalo, 215, for a majority 10 round decision at MSG Thursday night. Although there were no knockdowns in the fight, Bonavena, a 9-5 underdog, staggered Chuvalo in the 2nd and 4th rounds and even claimed to have inflicted the first knockdown of the Canadian's career in the 4th. Bonavena drove Chuvalo back on his haunches in the 4th with a series of rights to the head and were it not for the ropes which checked his backward lurch, Chuvalo might have hit the canvas." -United Press International

[Collins2000]

After 14 rounds the official scorecards read: 12-2-0, 10-3-1 and 8-5-1 all in favour of Ali.

- Cards just a joke to set up the big money Frazier match.

Ali sure didn't think he was ahead which is why he went buck crazy the 15th with every fiber of his soul going for a big round or KO. He also violated the neutral corner rule as he did throughout his career without penalty and poor Oscar the poor ring general, never attempted to take a full count, instead leaping up and into leaping Ali left hooks.

Ali was completely spent at end of the fight as he himself admitted to. Oscar gave him a major mauling.

The same old song...

[BoxBuzz]

....but with a different meaning since g's been gone.......

The great Levi Stubbs.....

[warnambool]

Some very interesting posts there, did Bonavena ever get in with George Chuvalo?
That should have been a knock down kick em in the balls donnybrook?

Bonavena won a majority decision in a 10-rounder on June 23, 1966 at Madison Square Garden.

"Oscar Bonavena, 203, used his left hook like a buzzsaw to chop down George Chuvalo, 215, for a majority 10 round decision at MSG Thursday night. Although there were no knockdowns in the fight, Bonavena, a 9-5 underdog, staggered Chuvalo in the 2nd and 4th rounds and even claimed to have inflicted the first knockdown of the Canadian's career in the 4th. Bonavena drove Chuvalo back on his haunches in the 4th with a series of rights to the head and were it not for the ropes which checked his backward lurch, Chuvalo might have hit the canvas." -United Press International

Thanks......would have been a good one.
btw, can we not post images on here?

[John Galt]

And as usual Collins' post has nothing to do with boxing. Just a personal attack on a poster.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

The same old song...

- Always the same ol' song with you Collie. That's the lot of poor devils with nary a single original thought in their life, they just go along with whomever is the leader of the group they're with.

You see, I happen to know of what I talk as I've carefully studied the fight, indeed, most aspects of Ali's career. I remember Ali's statements afterwards because these things have meaning to me, unlike you who look to your leader de jour to guide your limpid little hand and keep you bucked you up lest you implode from the effort.

Gil Glancy trained Oscar for the fight and reckoned going in, "Oscar had a real shot. In the 9th he had Ali hurt" and by the 15th "Whoever hit who, the other guy was gonna go."

Thomas Hauser noted in his Ali biography where these quotes are coming from that Ali "looked awful, it was a boring fight. But the knockout had been so dramatic that afterward people forgot the first 14 rounds." You being most people Collie, the followers, the sheeple.

Finally, according to the premier fight doc, Uncle Ferdie, "Ali absorbed more punishment against Bonavena than he had in any previous fight, much more than people realized."

Ferdie then goes on to say Ali didn't have time to properly recuperate from Bonavena even though it was 3 months until the Frazier fight. Ferdie wanted 4-5 months for recuperation and training which he says would have been perfect to beat Frazier.

Many other bios note the same thing, dozens of them Colly, but of course all wasted on you, you just aping the strong men in your life who keep you regimented and make sure your beanie stays properly salved........... 8)

[John Galt]

BRR, another good post. While I don't agree with you about guys like Holmes and Holyfield, you obviously have a lot of boxing knowledge. Collins is a follower of anyone who ever wrote a boxing book - as you noted, not an original thought in his head. Be careful what you write though, he does like to whine and cry to the moderators and get people barred from the board.

[John Galt]

BRR is a person who knows boxing. collins is a person who knows nothing about boxing and is a whiner who cries to the moderators and tries to get other posters barred from the board. Come on collins, make a boxing related post. Are you waiting on Irene to tell you what to say?

[Goodnight, Irene]

BRR is a person who knows boxing. collins is a person who knows nothing about boxing and is a whiner who cries to the moderators and tries to get other posters barred from the board. Come on collins, make a boxing related post. Are you waiting on Irene to tell you what to say?

Yeah, but...

119-109. Read it & weep, bucko 8)

[John Galt]

Miss Irene, What am I supposed to read and weep? Does collins allow you to talk without his permission? If not, I can understand why. You are an embarrassment. LOL.