BoxRec

(more photos of Bonavena,including his hit 1966 single,Pio Pio Pa)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa4FiYHylAc

another Bonavena tribute

(may include repeat photos)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCdvby1Y10Q

On May.22.1976,Oscar Bonavena was shot and killed(with a high-powered rifle)just outside the gate of the notorius
Mustang Ranch near Reno Nevada.
Here is a intersting wikipedia entry with details.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Bonavena

I remember reading Larry Holmes autobiography were he said he had trained(with some other fighters) at the Mustang Ranch,
but I think that was before Bonavena started to train there .

Remember this classic old song from 1964?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCyuq-ofnPc

Wasn't there supposed to be a movie being made about the circumstances surrounding Oscar's death?

yes, "Love Ranch" will be released next month

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1125929/

here's the trailer:

http://www.azmovies.net/love-ranch.html

Brutu wrote:I remember reading Larry Holmes autobiography were he said he had trained(with some other fighters) at the Mustang Ranch,
but I think that was before Bonavena started to train there .

According to Larry Homes autobiography he was sent to the Mustang Ranch near Reno to stay while training for the first fight with
Earnie Shavers in 1978,but Holmes didnt stay there at the brothel,instead he went and stayed at a regular hotel in Reno,
however his sparring partner Jody Ballard and some other guys stayed at the Mustang ranch.
Also training there was
Colombian heavyweight Bernardo Mercardo,a former sparring partner of Bonavena's and whom Joe Conforte was managing.

It would've been great to see Bonavena fight a young Holmes, or even a Jimmy Young, and Ken Norton.In the early 80's type scenario, he definitely would've been a champ.

Broncano wrote:yes, "Love Ranch" will be released next month

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1125929/

here's the trailer:

http://www.azmovies.net/love-ranch.html

anyone seen this movie yet?
The casting seems wrong to me.
I think they should have had Joe Pesci play the Bonavena-esqe role.
like an over the hill welter-weight making a come back.
Instead of making Bonavena into some kind of Fabio charater.

Bonavena was a fabio type character at that time.

Ali vs Bonavena was 40 years ago today.(December.7.1970 MSG)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMrJEloGGao

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBvOX6Zm8D8

Check out Bonavena's feet in the photo at :18 seconds of the youtube clip.
Ringside reporters could help not notice the shape of Bonavena's feet
when he was in the ring,real big ,wide and flat.
I wonder if perhaps he had inspired the character of "the Beast" in the old Marvel comic books of the X-Man of the late 1960's?

Brutu wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBvOX6Zm8D8

Check out Bonavena's feet in the photo at :18 seconds of the youtube clip.
Ringside reporters could help not notice the shape of Bonavena's feet
when he was in the ring,real big ,wide and flat.
I wonder if perhaps he had inspired the character of "the Beast" in the old Marvel comic books of the X-Man of the late 1960's?

Doubtful. The Beast debuted in X-Men #1 published in September 1963. And "The Beast" is a medical doctor and a internationally known expert in biochemistry. No one ever confused Bonavena with somebody having a brain.