Jimmy Ellis of the Bonavena fight vs. 1970 Frazier

After a year and a half out of action, despite being unprepared and ring rusty, Ellis just couldn't avoid Frazier anymore.

 

However, Ellis did show some heart in taking on Frazier without any tune-ups and rather than risking being stripped.

 

How much longer would the WBA have permitted Ellis to not fight Frazier before stripping him?

 

You may be right about it not going the distance. I have never been super impressed with Ellis's stamina. But I do maintain that I think this has the potential to be a back-and-forth contest with lots of great exchanges with plenty of give-and-take, with Frazier maybe even being put on the defensive several times. I think the main thing that would make this fight different for Frazier than the Ali fights would be that Ellis is a much faster starter with more power, and Joe's making it out of the first three rounds might put Frazier in more trouble than we're used to seeing him in. Of course, Frazier might just put on the pressure more quickly. It seems to me that Frazier was capable of adding pressure more quickly if he was outpunched early in a fight. He took control of Ramos and Quarry 1 very quickly after being outpunched, and probably started Bonavena 2 faster than usual due to the 2nd rounds scare of the first fight.

 

Decent, yes, but only a tune-up.

 

I do like the way Ellis beefed up by the Frazier unification match. He looked like a real heavy, and actually looked in good shape. You would think most guys would get in bad shape during that year-and-a-half lay-off.

 

I don't either, but I think he would give Joe a real rough time of it for 5 or 6 rounds.

 

What about Rodrigo Valdez and Bennie Briscoe? That was essentially the same match-up (in terms of styles).