1970: George Foreman vs. Oscar Bonavena?

[Mr E]

In my opinion, Big George would have destroyed Bonavena.

I agree, if Foreman could bounce a superior swarmer like Frazier of the canvas like a basket ball why should Bonavena fare any better ?

Because this is 1970, not 1973.

I agree that makes a difference but I'd still back Foreman in a big way.

[hhaehre]

In my opinion, Big George would have destroyed Bonavena.

I agree, if Foreman could bounce a superior swarmer like Frazier of the canvas like a basket ball why should Bonavena fare any better ?

Because this is 1970, not 1973.

Makes no difference. Bonavena was no cutie, he'd walk right into Foreman. If Foreman could stop Chuvalo in 1970 he would surely stop Bonavena as well.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Of course it makes a difference. That's just plain stupid. Maybe Foreman wins on brute strength & size, but he's not the same fighter, & if you think he's walking through Bonavena in 1970, you're kidding yourself.

[Brutu]

Chuvalo had been stopped before by Joe Frazier when Frazier broke his eye orbit bone.
Maybe Bonavena was more durable?
Maybe he would have recovered and gone the distance with Ali,if the ref had demanded Ali go to a nuetral corner after the first and second knockdowns.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Bonavena was a more dangerous fighter than Chuvalo, & he would have presented Foreman with more problems than Chuvalo did in '70.

[hhaehre]

Bonavena was a more dangerous fighter than Chuvalo, & he would have presented Foreman with more problems than Chuvalo did in '70.

Maybe but he would still be right in front of Foreman and pushing forward. When did Foreman ever loose to a guy that came to him?

[Brutu]

Also unlike Chuvalo,Bonavena was a heavy handed,two fisted fighter.
Both Foreman and Bonavena had a kind of herky-jerky style.
I think it was difficult for a boxer to time Bonavena for a certain punch,because of his broken non rhythmic unpredictable style,
other then that he always came under and up, forward and punching and only stepped back for some punching room.

[Brutu]

Also Joe Frazier was almost shot as a fighter when he fought Foreman in 1973.
High Blood pressure made him weak and tired all the time,his left arm was arthritic with water on the elbow and his left eye was clouded by cataracts.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Also unlike Chuvalo,Bonavena was a heavy handed,two fisted fighter.
Both Foreman and Bonavena had a kind of herky-jerky style.
I think it was difficult for a boxer to time Bonavena for a certain punch,because of his broken non rhythmic unpredictable style,
other then that he always came under and up, forward and punching and only stepped back for some punching room.

Well-put.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Also Joe Frazier was almost shot as a fighter when he fought Foreman in 1973.
High Blood pressure made him weak and tired all the time,his left arm was arthritic with water on the elbow and his left eye was clouded by cataracts.

Utter, revisionist nonsense. This is not remotely accurate.

[hhaehre]

Also Joe Frazier was almost shot as a fighter when he fought Foreman in 1973.
High Blood pressure made him weak and tired all the time,his left arm was arthritic with water on the elbow and his left eye was clouded by cataracts.

Utter, revisionist nonsense. This is not remotely accurate.

Well, Fraziers medical problems are well documented and they were real but he was bombed out in a round and a half. Not enough time for any of his problems to become a factor I'd say.

[Brutu]

Well thats what I remember from reading Frazier's autobiography.
He seems like a regular Joe to me.
He said when got to Jamacia he felt really tired all the time even when he woke up in the morning there,and later the doctor diagnozed it as high blood presure.
What did Frazier have left to prove after winning his 1971 fight with Ali?

[yancey]

Well thats what I remember from reading Frazier's autobiography.
He seems like a regular Joe to me.
He said when got to Jamacia he felt really tired all the time even when he woke up in the morning there,and later the doctor diagnozed it as high blood presure.
What did Frazier have left to prove after winning his 1971 fight with Ali?

Not a thing.

He should have retired. Too many medical issues plus he had lost his edge after the FOTC. When I saw him fight Stander I knew he was dropping off badly and was ready to be taken.

Foreman didn't get the real Frazier. He has publically acknowledged that.

And before GI jumps in with his 2-0 case closed nonsense, screw the second Foreman-Frazier fight. Frazier was so shot for that one that it doesn't even remotely figure into things.

[Goodnight, Irene]

I agree, Yancey. The second fight is meaningless.

The first, however...well, that just gets diminished, retrospectively, more & more with time, & it is, for the most part, crap.

[Ambling Alp]

Well thats what I remember from reading Frazier's autobiography.
He seems like a regular Joe to me.
He said when got to Jamacia he felt really tired all the time even when he woke up in the morning there,and later the doctor diagnozed it as high blood presure.
What did Frazier have left to prove after winning his 1971 fight with Ali?

He still had to prove that he could be a long-reigning and fighting champion, and that he could beat Ali again. Soon Foreman became a major force and Frazier needed to prove he could beat him. He couldn't do these things so he had excuse after excuse.

[MikeSchreckwins]

I liked Bonavena but Ali the boxer stopped him late. Frazier the swarming style fighter decisioned him and Foreman the big puncher would have tkoed him like he did Chuvalo, would have taken him a little longer than Chuvalo because Chuvalo was more of a catcher than Bonavena.

[Brutu]

Bump. for the listing of canceled Bonavena matches in this thread.

[dempseyfire]

On paper, Foreman should lose to a veteran, durable contender like Bonavena at that stage of his career. But Foreman was literally a physical freak of nature. Just so strong (and athletic, look at how fast he pumps the jab vs Chuvalo). There is a small chance Bonavena frustrates George with his mauling style and perhaps hurts Foreman late after George is fatigued with a big left hook.

More likely scenario . . Oscar wades right into a firestorm from hell and gets stopped sometime between the mid-late rounds. Foreman at that stage of his career was throwing 90 punches per round.

[Caractacus]

never let an interesting thread go to waste !

[Caractacus]

According to google newspaper archives
George Foreman was originally scheduled to fight Oscar Bonavena ,October 11.1972 ,for 15 rounds at Boston.
The winner to fight Joe Frazier for the title.
The fight was canceled two weeks after Foreman and Bonavena signed the contract,after
Bonavena broke his hand (hairline fracture)in the second round in his August.15.1972 tune up against Lou Bailey,
(Bonavena still won on points)
It would appear Bonavena had fractured his left hand before twice ealier in just over a year before he broke it again in the fifth round of Patterson fight in February 1971.
The fight with Floyd Patterson had also been postponed because he hurt his left hand in training .
Bonavena broke his left hand again in a car accident in LA a month later and had to have surgery again.

Botta Bing !

[goose 5]

At what point in 1970 ? Foreman was so green but was improving. Still, I like Bonavena to win any time that year. Just too soon for Foreman.

[gilgamesh]

I think Foreman would've still been able to beat Bonavena in 1970, but it would've been dangerous enough to make his handlers very nervous.

Bonavena was tough as hell. I'm not sure he's tough enough to take the power of a young George Foreman, very few men would be, but his edge in experience would've definitely resulted in one of the toughest nights in the career of a young George Foreman.

[Nile4000]

At what point in 1970 ? Foreman was so green but was improving. Still, I like Bonavena to win any time that year. Just too soon for Foreman.

I concur.

[Caractacus]

George Foreman would have probably went after him the same way the FOREMAN WENT AFTER gEORGE cHUVALO.

[goose 5]

I just think Bonavena had too much left in 1970 for him to lose this one.