I saw most of it today on the replay. Frazier's manager said he Ali up by a point going into the 13th round. Questions! What was your score cards? Ali was in shape and young, but seemed to have issues keeping a much shorter, and sometimes sloppy Bonevena off him. My theory is Ali developed his clinching skills after the first Frazier match. While Ali did clinch some here, it wasn't the grabbing behind the head shut down technique.
Ali was in control against Bonavena all the way, however, due to Bonavena's crude and awkward style it caused problems for the in-shape, but rusty as a nail Ali in 1970....... Ali finally got his man outta there with the knockdowns' in round 15.......... Bonavena was a tuff cookie......... Awkwardness can be an asset at times.............. MR.BILL
Ali was the only dude to stop Bonavena........ Bonavena lost to most of his "A" opponents, however, all by decisions, etc............. "Ringo" was tuff........... MR.BILL
Ali looked bad at times and it was clear he wasn't the same. I don't remember my card but Ali was ahead comfortably. Although it was not a good showing.
I don't remember if I even bothered to score it ever but by the time I saw it, I knew the outcome. I watched it maybe a five or ten years ago and from all that I can remember, it was the ugliest damn fight I ever saw Ali in. Not ugly like harsh, just ugly as in aesthetically it looked awful to me at the time. Ali VS Ringo or Wepner were god awful displays of everything. Ugly. I remember Ringo telling Ali in a post fight interview that he would beat Frazier because he's better. At least I think I remember that. And I remember seeing something where Ali compliments Oscar saying he hit him as hard any man can hit. I've seen clips since then but only of the end knockouts. I don't know if I want to subject myself to that fight again.
Oh, and I think I remember a couple times where Bonavena proved that Ali takes a punch anywhere on his body about as good as a human being can because he cracked him flush on the button...of his cup, a few times. I might not be remembering correctly but that's what I remember.
I watched it live and scored it too, the best I can remember is I had it 9-5 or maybe 9-4-1 going into the 15th.
Again, Ali was rusty; yet in control overall....... I like and miss ole "Ringo." I have a clean copy of this fight from '70......... Cheers....... MR.BILL
Dont think the knockout was fair, Ali in round 15 was fighting like he was Jack Dempsey vs Jess Willard or Firpo. Standed over his man, and swining as soon as he got up. Ugly fight, and a complete disrespect of the rules on Ali's part. Not saying Ringo would have won, but the rules should have been inforce.
That pissed me off too. Ali was seeing the $5 million fight with Frazier maybe going out the window, so he 'bent the rules" a little when he got Ringo in trouble.
Ali of the 70's and "the rules" seldom spent time in the same postal code. That superstar treatment saved his ass a few times.
I never really thought much of Ringo, only that he was a tough,awkward and strong guy,a decent puncher but not a real banger. Oscar was 5"10 but he was not really a pressure fighter. Dont get me wrong I liked Ringo, he was a funny guy. I remember him training at the 28th st. gym in N.Y. but he was not the hardest training guy, he was a clown (like Max Baer) In retrospect Ali got hit a lot and it was a rough fight for him although I had him clearly ahead. I guess the rds did him good to shake off the rust. The thing Ringo did well was he could throw you off rythym with his weird and awkward angles. I think what Ringo lacked was the eye of the Tiger