Oscar Bonavena vs Luis Firpo

In my opinion? Bonavena. He could withstand more punishment than Firpo. I think he was every bit as strong and hit at least as hard. The iron chin is what sets him apart.

 

Does Bonavena have the stamina to withstand big punches and keep taking rounds in the championship rounds?

I'm not saying Firpo wins, but I am mindful of Firpo's fight with KO Brennan, where Brennan had the fight most of the way but got KO'd in the late rounds.

 

I don't imagine it was a picnic to get clipped by Bonavena either

And I don't see anything on Firpo's ledger that would indicate that he was a harder hitter than Oscar. Same class? Sure. Harder? I don't know. I'm not seeing it.

 

Bonavena...

Better skills, better chin, proven against better opposition....

He was just....Well.....Better..

 

Bonavena by KO.

 

Bonevena via UD in a pretty good fight. Oscar had the better skills, and was very strong ad durable himself.

 

Decent accomplishments, but nothing that can be presented as compelling evidence for Firpo having more power than Oscar. Willard was in his 40s and it was the last fight of his career. There's not too many bangers in history who couldn't have laid him out for the count at that stage in his career. Brennan? Another fighter at the tail end of his career, fighting the young up and coming slugger in Firpo.

Wouldn't you say that both were essentially nothing more than cannon fodder at that time? Live bodies to be sure- and I don't want to completely discount Firpo's achievement in stopping them- but unquestionably both were well past their best.

Again, I can see a case for Firpo and Oscar being in the same category in power. I just don't see much to support Luis being in a category above. Maybe I'm wrong...I dunno....

Cheers

 

True, but unlike Shavers (and like Joe Choynski) the results don't support the testimony. Shavers brutally knocked out many viable top contenders. Firpo (and Choynski) did not. A few, but not enough to give credence to a "Shaversesque" vibe/rep.

 

I think Bonavena had better skills but from films I have seen Firpo was big and quick..I will go with Ringo by decision but the Wild Bull hit hard so it may be a war of Italian/Argentinians...I think they both had a little Italian mix

 

Oscar was a better fighter and by far the ballsier of the two,would be for, one of the rare times, the less crude, more sophisticated fighter. A clear decision or even a ko for Ringo.

 

i haven't seen that much from firpo but i believe oscar wins. he is a little underrated cause there where so many good heavies in his time.
and he had a absolute granite chin

 

Yes, he absolutely does, and proved it conclusively in the grueling rematch with Frazier in Joe's own Philadelphia. In fact, it was Smoke who was tiring at the end. Jimmy Ellis needed the greatest performance of his career to beat Ringo, and may have been saved by the fact their WBA eliminator wasn't scheduled for the championship distance. Ringo dominated and beat the **** out of Peralta, Mildenberger and Middleton over 12 rounds, sending all three to the floor in the process. He also staggered Chuvalo, and many believe he should have been credited with officially knocking down the rugged Canadian. He did drop Frazier twice, and came excruciatingly close to triggering an automatic second round stoppage with a third knockdown. Ron Lyle and Leotis Martin failed to dent his chin.

I also watched Firpo-Brennan. The Charley Goldman tutored Bonavena had far better foot speed and lateral mobility than Brennan, could jab well in retreat (which he does effectively in the championship rounds of the Frazier rematch), and made Chuvalo look like a statue at times in outmaneuvering him. Luis could bring it for 15, and had a fine pair of wins over Spalla, but an aging Willard did have his moments with Firpo, and Weinert outboxed him badly in their rematch. Ringo had too much skill, toughness, strength, stamina and versatility to crumble when Luis needed him to fall for salvaging a come from behind win.