BoxRec

Prime vs prime,who wins?

A slugfest. Tua was faster, more technical and better chinned. Gotta go with Tua by dec or late stoppage.

Either Tua or Bonavena would take a decision in a hard fought war while there would be no knockdowns even though Tua had a harder chin than Bonavena. Bonavena was never knocked down by sluggers, swarmers and brawlers like Smokin Joe and Chuvalo and Tua would not be one of the sluggers. Only outside boxers like Muhammad Ali, Jimmy Ellis and Zora Folley could knocked Bonavena down with their great counterpunches.

At his best, I would lean towards Tua. However he was often lethargic and didn't do enough. He fights like that, and Bonavena would have outhustled him for the decision.

Bonavena close UD.