Fifty-four years have passed since the fearless Argentine heavyweight Oscar “Ringo” Bonavena sought to make history by challenging the legendary Muhammad Ali, “The Greatest” of all time, as Ali famously dubbed himself. Despite the evident gap in talent, the tough fighter from Buenos Aires managed to push the renowned champion to his limits, forcing a grueling and exhausting battle, only succumbing in the final round of the scheduled 15. On December 7, 1970, at Madison Square Garden in New York, the two boxers fought not only for the NABF title but also for a chance to face the reigning world champion, Joe Frazier.
“Ringo” Bonavena: Never Judge by Appearances
Awkward, stocky, with an unconventional fighting style, yet extraordinarily difficult to tame—Oscar Bonavena was just that. He defied boxing norms and never backed down, even against the elite. In a career spanning 12 years and 68 fights, facing top contenders like Zora Folley, Joe Frazier, Floyd Patterson, and Ron Lyle, Bonavena suffered his only knockout loss in the match we’re recounting here. Although Ali entered as a 6-to-1 favorite, the Argentine fighter’s remarkable tenacity was well-known, especially for the two grueling bouts he had with Joe Frazier, making the champion earn his victories.
In their first encounter, Smokin’ Joe sought his trademark toe-to-toe battle but ended up on the canvas twice in the second round before scraping by with a controversial split decision. The experience was so harrowing that Frazier, abandoning his natural aggressive style, fought with uncharacteristic caution in their rematch, fully aware that stepping into Bonavena’s realm could prove fatal.
Ali’s Return After His “Exile”
Shunned by the very sport he helped elevate to new heights, Muhammad Ali had been away from the ring for over three and a half years, losing his world title and peak physical condition. This was the price he paid for refusing to be drafted into the Vietnam War. The lengthy legal battle to regain his boxing license progressed in stages: first, he secured the right to fight in Georgia, where he dispatched Jerry Quarry in just three rounds due to a cut, and later in New York, where the ferocious Oscar “Ringo” Bonavena awaited him.
For “The Greatest,” a long and taxing fight was crucial to prepare for his showdown with Joe Frazier. Bonavena, who had never been counted out by a referee, seemed the perfect opponent. The build-up was tense, with the fighters exchanging barbs during routine medical checkups. Bonavena repeatedly called Ali by his despised birth name, “Clay,” and mocked him as a chicken for dodging the draft. True to form, Ali responded with a rhyming prediction: “He’ll be mine in nine!”
A Rusty, Grueling Victory
Ali’s rust from his long layoff was evident from the opening bell. He seemed sluggish and stationary, far from the dancing dynamo of his prime, which allowed Bonavena, shorter and with a smaller reach, to close the distance and attack effectively with his awkward yet unpredictable style. It took four rounds for Ali to rediscover his rhythm, pulling ahead on the scorecards, though his performance was far from stellar as he struggled to figure out the unorthodox South American.
The ninth round, the one Ali had predicted, turned into a near disaster for him. After picking up the pace and putting Bonavena on the defensive, Ali was caught off guard by a powerful left hook that left him briefly unsteady on his feet.
Surviving the prophetic ambitions of his charismatic opponent and reaching the tenth round unscathed, Bonavena fought valiantly to keep his miracle hopes alive. However, the dramatic ninth round had drained a significant portion of both fighters’ energy. The subsequent minutes were marked by confusion and a lack of precision, leading to a series of uneventful rounds that set the stage for the final three minutes. By this point, the judges’ scorecards showed Ali ahead by margins of ten, seven, and three points. Only the closest scorecard truly reflected the balance of the bout, but the looming Ali-Frazier clash was too important to risk, and two-thirds of the judging panel appeared to have been “influenced” in favor of “The Greatest.”
What happened during the unforgettable final round rendered any discussion of the score irrelevant. Bonavena launched a desperate, reckless offensive in a bid to overturn his fate. His bravery, however, left him vulnerable to a brilliant technical move from the greatest heavyweight of all time: a precise dodge followed by a devastating left hook that sealed the outcome. The two knockdowns that followed were mere formalities—Bonavena was already out.
A heartwarming moment came after the official announcement, as the fighters embraced and exchanged compliments. The insults and provocations were relegated to history, acknowledged by both as mere tools to heighten the event’s anticipation. Ali declared Bonavena the toughest opponent he’d ever faced, while the Argentine, in a comical but clear English, admitted Ali was no chicken but a true champion. Bonavena even predicted Ali would defeat Frazier, a forecast that would be proven wrong just three months later. But that’s a story for another time…