Ellis Drops Bonavena ...

Good post, HG. I didn't know he was on dailymotion. I've enjoyed massive amounts from his YT channel, though.

 

Thanks for posting this he grant...i watched all the bouts in the heavyweight tournament (called the "toonament" by Leotis Martin)..and i was very impressed by Ellis ithis fight..he put a real sookie on ol' Oscar.

 

Ellis actually knocked oscar to one knee after that 2nd kd..I always thought that Jimmy was deprived of a legit 3rd kd.

 

First ive seen this. Cracking left hook, caught Oscar just right. Very lucky there wasnt another minute left in the round

 

that was prolly ellis's career best fight...dude did have a sneaky right hand

 

Bonavena was an interesting case. Frazier couldn't really dent him, but Ellis and Ali downed him. I think he had more trouble with punches he didn't see from angles he didn't see (Naturally). Sort of like Sam Peter I guess.

 

Jerry Quarry, in his 15 rounder with Ellis, was cracked several times with the same right hand that toppled Oscar, and took them in stride..yet, Oscar was impervious to the power of Joe Frazier and Frazier put some hurt on Jerry. Fascinating **** regarding these heavyweight's chins.

 

I remember an article in either The Ring or Boxing Illustrated recalling that late 60s heavyweight tourney. It remarked on the strangeness of the whole thing- "Quarry, who couldn't box, outboxed dancing master Thad Spencer. Ellis, who couldn't punch, decked the iron-jawed Bonavena, something Joe Frazier couldn't even do".

 

I think it may say a lot about Bonavena's rock & roll lifestyle. Conditioning greatly affects ones ability to take a punch. Ali consistently reiterated this in interviews.

 

With Ali in the shadows.....that tournament was underrated.

Actually some pretty good fights by evenly matched opponents.

An Ellis-Frazier fight might have been a toss-up then.....but Frazier continued to improve, and Ellis had a 17 month layoff before he fought Frazier in the unification match.

 

It's just part of d reason 2 y Bonavena was never "iron-jawed" , old Folley did it 2 him also , not 2 mention Ali stopped him badly .
Ellis also stopped Leotis Martin and floored Boone Kirkman and hurt Shavers .
Ellis was not a devastating puncher 4 a HW , but he could punch .

 

It seems to me that most legend and lore concerning the relative chin strengths of these two as well as most other fighters is pretty subjective.