Oscar Bonavena vs Tommy Morrison - who would win and why?

I would say that Oscar Bonavena was the better boxer, but I just don't see him handling Tommy Morrison's size. Morrison would walk to him, and Bonavena would probably try to get on the inside and box (similiar to his sucesses against Frazier). But Morrison is just too BIG for Bonavena, IMO.

Morrison TKO5 Bonavena (Stoppage due to cuts)

 

Hard one to call. Either Morrison early or Bonevenna late. Morrsion has the speed, and power edge. Bonevenna has the durability and stamina edge, and in my opinion hit hard enough to stop Morrison. It is plausible that Bonevenna had a chin equal to Chavalo. He went the distance twice with Frazier, once with Lyle, once with Patterson, and once with Martin. Bonevenna was only stopped once in 68 fights and it took a prime Ali 15 rounds to do it.

I would probably lean toward Bonnevena here based on the way they match up. Morrison would tire or gas, then Bonnevena would come on late to win. Having said that I think Morrison was the higher rated fighter two by a small margin.

 

Since when was Ali in his prime in 1970s??? His prime was 1964-1967

 

That fight was before vs Frazier 1. Ali vs Bonavena took place in 1970. Ali was 28 years old, and it stands as one of Ali's best performances. Ali had plenty left in that fight and probably landed his best left hooks in his career in that fight.

The Ali who fought Bonevena looked better than the Ali in some of is 1960's title fights.

At any rate, a 28 year old giving one of his best performances is not past his prime.

 

His Prime was probably 1967 -1970,,unfortunately owing to Uncle Sam we never got to see it.

 

this fight is a toss up but if i had to bet on it, i would put my money on tommy for the k.o

 

I don't think this one is hard to call at all. Bonavena by stoppage sooner or later. Morrison has a puncher's chance, but a very small one.

 

Not even the more mature Morrison that fought Foreman? I think this could be a tough fight personally.

 

his chin wasn't as good as chuvalo"s,ali floored him i think jimmy ellis floored him as well.

 

Bonavena was much stronger and had a better chin than Morrison. It would be a clumsy, grotesque kind of ko for Oscar that he usually won.

 

Wait, Morrison isn't THAT much bigger than Oscar.

Oscar was plus 200 pounds, correct?

Morrison wasn't a 240-250 pound guy himself...

 

Bonavena either stops him late or loses a UD.

I'm not as impressed by Ringo's punching power, quite honestly. He was extremely durable, but he was a slow, bludgeoning puncher. Morrison, even though he had a fairly weak chin, was a powerful, explosive puncher with what I would consider a sizable advantage in the handspeed department as well.

These advantages, combined with his size and a little bit of the ring smarts he showed in the Foreman fight, would lead me to favor him over a 12-round distance. Over 15 I'd call it even because Ringo's chance of a stoppage goes way up as the fight goes into those championship rounds.