Is Ringo underrated?

well, I don´t know. Boxing Illustrated had Chuvalo winning 6-4 against Bonavena.

 

He beat Chuvalo and...may...have scored a KD in that s c r a p.

 

He was in some good home TV fights (or maybe their replays).
He seemed not to be intimidated by the "returning" Ali. (peep...peep...peep).

Too bad he got entwined with that situation out in Nevada.

A young Foreman vs Ringo might have been an interesting fight, especially at
12 rounds for a 'Regional' Title.

 

Fact: Floyd fell behind early in the fight with Ringo.
Fact: The knockdown Ringo scored was a 'pitty-pat' shot.
Fact: Floyd, on his comeback, 37 years old, needed a win over a contender to warrant his much wanted shot at Ali.
Fact: Floyd came on the last half of the fight (I've watched it several times since the 'Oscar won' hype started getting tossed around) and he was clearly outworking Ringo in the second half rounds (not bad for a 37 year old).
Fact: This was hardly a 'robbery'!! Old Floyd reached deep and found the moxie and determination to take a close decision.
My $0.02

 

Well, he did beat Chuvalo and maybe knocked him down.

 

I didn’t know that. Hmm...

 

Not really imo.

 

I’ve been thinking about this thread. Ringo’s performances against Ali and Joe have made him into something of a legend. However, the trouncing that he took from Ellis is significant. Who did Oscar beat? Mildenberger, who was overrated in my view. He split a couple with Zora. He did beat the often beaten Chuvalo. Martin, I think, but Quarry had more and better wins. No, I dont think that he’s underrated.

 

His style is confused with being akward which he was but being effective in a Gene Fullmer way

But like Fullmer he is seen for what he was a lower skilled strong guy....could he have been better? Possibly without the crazy but I argue it was the akward undisciplined style that got him to the dance...his chin was an enigma he was not dropped when he should have been but dropped by guys who were not great punchers when it was not expected.

 

IMO that hardly diminishes Ringo's legacy. That's 'late career stuff' and hardly deserves mention to his legacy.

 

Late career stuff???? Ringo was only 25 years old when Ellis battered him and decked him twice en route to a decisive decision!

 

Oscar is rated about right. He was a tough nights work. Strong, awkward but limited.

Sometimes circumstances played a part in our perceptions. The night he knocked down Joe Frazier he was facing a green version. It was Joe`s 11th pro fight and wasn't yet fighting that bobbing and weaving style. Kinda like Doug Jones arguably beating Cassius Clay. Joe took care of him in the rematch without the knockdown drama.

Ali had so much ring rust the night he fought Oscar but Oscar`s awkwardness played a role as well.

 

One thing I will say for Oscar was that he wasn't the limited automaton that he can be made out to be. Gil Clancy took over training him when he came to NY for the Ali fight. And Clancy marveled at the way he followed instruction. Clancy laid out a plan of jabbing Ali rather than just bulling him and he really gave Ali a hard time in that bout. It makes one wonder how well he possibly could have been had he not returned to BA after the Folley loss and received solid instruction on correcting mistakes.