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Argentinian heavyweights: The Big Boys of South America


BoztheMadman
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Argentina can boast a proud and rich boxing history and has surely produced more world champions in boxing than any other South American country. But what they also are known for is what the other South American and Latin nations always lacked: world class heavyweights. Perhaps because of Argentina's high percentage of European-descended population, perhaps because of some natural factors, the Argentinian boxers were often sturdier built than other South American boxers. Unfortunately, none of their heavyweights ever won a world title, even if two of them came close: Luis Firpo and Oscar Bonavena.

 

The heavyweight history of "Silver Land" starts with Luis Angel Firpo, that magnificent specimen. Known as El Toro Salvaje de las Pampas, meaning "Wild Bull of the Pampas" (a high plateau region of Argentina), Firpo was born 11 October 1894 in Junin, a part of Buenos Aires. He stood almost 6'3, had a reach of 79" and weighed up to 227 pounds, which for that time was a lot. Most heavyweights didn't weigh more than 200, some even 180. He lacked in real boxing craft and was unpolished, but with his brute strength and punching power he made up for that. His professional career started in 1917 and already in his second match he dared to face the 25-2 Angel Rodriguez, but it didn't go well as he was down four times and stopped in the first round. In 1920, he won the South American title by KO 1 against Dave Mills of USA. He then defended it the same way against the same guy. In 1923, he stopped Bill Brennan, a veteran world class fighter, by KO 12. He started fighting in USA regularly after that and also knocked out former world champion Jess Willard in 8 rounds that same year. On 14 September that year, he was pitted against the world champion Jack Dempsey in an unforgettable fight; in a great slugfest, the more mobile and clever, as well as lighter Dempsey sent Firpo down seven times in the first round, after first touching the canvas with his knee after being hit with a body shot. Firpo rallied at the end of the same round and nailed Dempsey with a huge right hand that sent him flying through the ropes. Dempsey barely managed to climb back into the ring and survive the round. In the second round Dempsey rallied back and put Firpo down twice before the fight ended at 57 seconds. Firpo's great moment was later immortalized by an American painter called George Bellows, who painted a picture called "Dempsey Through the Ropes", showing Firpo sending Dempsey out of the ring. It was one of the most amazing world title fights ever. Firpo's last fight of note was in September 1924 against Harry Wills, which he lost by decision after 12 rounds. He was down once in the second round but gave a spirited effort and hurt Wills a few times. Not long after this fight, he faced deportation from USA for bringing with him a manicurist for "immoral purposes" and his last fight there was in November that year, losing on points to Charley Weinert. He then returned to Argentina and won three fights before his last against world class Chilean Arturo Godoy, 11 July 1936, where he quit after 3 rounds of punishment. His record is 31 wins, 26 by ko and 4 losses. He died in 1960 and after that some statues were erected in Argentina in his honour and a football team was named after him as well. He had been the first South American heavyweight to fight for a world title.

 

Alberto Santiago Lovell was the next Argentinian heavyweight contender of note. The Lovell family are Argentina's greatest heavyweight boxing family, as Alberto's brother Guillermo won the heavyweight silver medal at the 1936 Olympics. Alberto was even more successful, winning gold in the 1932 Olympics. Lovell was tall at 6'3, a good boxer and a good puncher as well. He was born 23 April 1912 in Dock Sud, Buenos Aires. His family was of Afro-Argentinian and English descent, hence his last name. He first started playing football but then switched to boxing and aged 20 he went to the Olympics in Los Angeles, where he defeated the future professional contender Gunnar Barlund of Finland on points, then tkoed George Maughan of Canada and finally beat Luigi Rovati of Italy on points, winning gold. He turned professional in 1934 and lost his first fight there by TKO 7, to Eduardo Primo. He then won 11 fights before fighting Maxie Rosenbloom, the world light heavyweight champ, in April of '37. Rosenbloom was fighting at 182 pounds and was naturally smaller than the 194-pound Lovell, but was very clever and defensively strong and he dominated the first half, before Lovell rallied later and cut Rosenbloom over the left eyebrow, which almost led to stoppage. In the end, Lovell won on points after 10 rounds. The fight was at the Olympic Auditorium in LA and brought him his first true exposure. He then progressed and scored 6 more wins against weaker opponents, before having a rematch with his Olympic rival Gunnar Barlund. It was 29 December '37 and Barlund put him down once in round 3 before cruising to a points victory. Disappointed, Lovell then went back to Argentina and beat Arturo Godoy on points. He would become his arch-rival on South American level and he lost the next match up against Godoy, again on points, before avenging the loss to Eduardo Primo on points. He then recaptured the South American title against Valentin Campolo and won after the match was stopped in the 9th round, due to repeated butting from Campolo. He beat Godoy again in '41 in a defense of the South American title. He again beat him in their fourth match but lost their fifth, ending their rivarly 3-2 in his favour. With that he also lost the South American title. Lovell had a long career but it never quite took off again after his loss to Barlund and he spent the rest of his career fighting South American-level fighters, before getting knocked out by Archie Moore in 1 round in his last fight in 1951, when he was 39 years old. He ended his career with 76 wins, 55 by ko, 8 losses and 3 draws. He died in 1966 and was succeeded as a prizefighter by his sons Alberto jr and Pedro, of whom I will write later.

 

Alejandro Lavorante was the next great Argentinian heavyweight contender. Standing almost 6'4 with movie star good looks and lethal punching power, Lavorante seemed like he would become the first great Argentinian heavyweight, but then experienced three bad losses, two of them to legends, before his life ended too soon. He was born 25 October 1936 in Mendoza, a city in the western part of Argentina, close to the Chilean border. He boxed as an amateur for 3 years and won the amateur championship of Argentina in 1954. He was then discovered by Jack Dempsey and started boxing professionally in 1959, first defeating Dean Bogany by KO 3. He lost his fifth fight to the much more experienced Roy Harris, who had a record of 27-1, by UD10. Harris had defeated the likes of Willie Pastrano, Willie Besmanoff and Bob Baker and the fight just came to soon for Lavorante and was a bad stylistic matchup, as Harris was a boxer and Lavorante a puncher. Lavorante then rebounded by knockout in 1 against the 9-0 Reiniero Rey Lopez in Havana, in Lopez's own country. He scored more knockouts and among other knocked out Duke Sabedong, the 6'6 Hawaiian behemoth, by KO 5. In 1961, same year when he did that, promoter George Parnassus offered Floyd Patterson 500 K to fight Lavorante but Patterson refused, asking for a million. That says something of the fear Lavorante already struck into opponents. Lavorante was described as taking his work seriously and not being a playboy like his compatriot Luis Firpo had been. He got his first major fight on 11 May that year, against Zora Folley. At the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, Lavorante would score his greatest victory when he sent Folley down twice in round 6 and twice more in round 7 before the fight ended. Folley was far more experienced and considered technically superior to Lavorante, which made this a truly great upset and triumph for Lavorante. But, as often happens, he was rushed too soon towards another major fight. After first stopping Willie Besmanoff by TKO 7 after cutting him over the right eye, he beat the decent Alonzo Johnson by UD10 and then, at the end of that amazing 1961, he experienced a controversial decision loss to George Logan. The fight took place in Boise, Idaho, Logan's homeplace and two judges gave Logan the verdict while the third gave it to Lavorante. It was hotly disputed and everyone agreed a hometown robbery had taken place. After knocking out former light heavyweight world title challenger Von Clay in 2 rounds to end that 1961, Lavorante was then matched against Archie Moore on 30 March 1962. Moore had carefully studied him while fighting and had done his homework; he stopped Lavorante in round 10 after a dominating performance. All the judges had Moore clearly ahead at the time of the stoppage and the knockout was so severe that Lavorante was carried from the ring on a stretcher, a bloody mess. His manager Pinky George did him no favours when he sent him back in the ring only 4 months later, against the greatest heavyweight ever: Cassius Clay, later Muhammad Ali. Lavorante just had no chance and was demolished in 5 rounds, the fight ending after the second knockdown. This time he left the ring on his own feet, but he was damaged goods. Just 2 months later, on 21 September, he was back in the ring yet again, but this time it would be the end of his career and his life: he was knocked out by journeyman John Riggins in 6 rounds. He was winning until the 5th round when Riggins hurt him badly with a right hand. He was then knocked out by a left hook in the next round and again carried out on a stretcher. He was taken to hospital where he soon slipped into a coma and never fully awoke. Although he made a slight recovery and even was able to stand and speak, he still could not open his eyes. He died on 1 April of 1964, after being flown to Argentina, 6 months after his last fight. He was 27. His record is 19 wins, 15 by ko and 5 losses.

 

Oscar Natalio Bonavena was perhaps the best heavyweight Argentina had. Although he stood only 5'11 or so, he had a strong physique and was very durable, as well as hard-hitting. Because of his Beatle-haircut he was affectionately called "Ringo". He was born 25 September 1942 in Buenos Aires. Turning professional in January 1964, he steamrolled over his first 8 opponents before running into the more experienced and clever Zora Folley and losing to him by UD10, in February '65. In September, he beat the his national rival Gregorio Peralta by UD, also knocking him down once in the process. With that he won the Argentinian title. He knocked out the 6'4 American Billy Daniels in 1 round and then in June '66 he beat George Chuvalo, Canadian toughman, by MD10. He staggered and hurt the Canadian several times but just couldn't put him away due to Chuvalo's iron chin. In September he first fought Joe Frazier the legend in an entertaining fight; he knocked Frazier down twice in round 2, for the first time in Frazier's career but was unable to put him away and Frazier then rallied back and in the end won in a very close fight, by SD10. In 1967 he took part in a world title elimination tournament and first beat Karl Mildenberger by UD12, after flooring him four times. He then lost to the slick Jimmy Ellis by UD12 as well, and was down twice. He then avenged the loss to Zora Folley by beating him by MD10. He also beat the man who knocked out Sonny Liston, Leotis Martin, by UD10. On 10 December of '68 he again faced Frazier, this time for the vacant world title, but was decisively defeated this time, yet Frazier could not stop the Argentinian bull. Frazier won by UD15. In December 1969 he knocked out the son of Alberto Santiago Lovell, Alberto jr, by TKO 9. After knocking out Manuel Ramos in 1 and James J Woody in 5, on 7 December '70 he was given a fight for the vacant NABF title against Muhammad Ali, who was making a comeback and had won one fight against Jerry Quarry. There was all kinds of squabbling between the two pre-fight and Ali punished him by stopping him in the 15th and the last round, after decking him three times. The fight had been competitive before that. After that he lost on points to Floyd Patterson, even though he decked him once and also to Ron Lyle. He beat Larry Middleton in one of his last fights. He was amidst a comeback in 1976 when he got shot by the bodyguards of a ranch owner with whose wife he had been having an affair. He died, aged 33. His funeral was attended by thousands in Argentina and he remained a national icon ever after. A movie was later made about his love affair with Sally Burgess, the wife of ranch owner Joe Conforte. His boxing record is 58 wins (44 by ko), 9 losses and 1 draw.

 

And, last of all, there was Pedro Lovell. The son of Alberto Santiago and brother of Alberto jr, Pedro was an even harder puncher than his old man and more successful than his older brother, even though his career was rather short. He was born in Quilmes, Argentina, 9 June 1945. His mother was from an Italian family. He decided to become a prizefighter in the States and turned pro in California, managed by Willie Ketchum. He scored 11 knockouts and drew one fight before being upset against the Texan knockout king Terry Kruger, in August 1973. Lovell was caught with a big left hook and then hit with another left hook and a right hand before he was down and out. He was out for nearly 4 minutes. He however brutally avenged that defeat in the rematch in November when he broke Kruger's jaw and scored three knockdowns before fight ended at 1:08 in the first round. After that he became known as "Jawbreaker". He also knocked out fringe-contender Billy Daniels in 1 round, like his compatriot Bonavena had done. He beat Jody Ballard, who had beaten Kruger, by UD10. He was then offered his first great chance against Ken Norton and took it. On 10 January 1976 in Las Vegas, Lovell held his own against Norton for the first 3 rounds, scoring well with the left jab and landing an occasional hard right. He was then staggered with a left uppercut to the chin in the fourth and pushed to the center of the ring, where Norton hit him with some more big shots. In the fifth he was hit by a smashing right to the head which buckled his knees and he turned away from Norton, which made the referee jump in and wave it off. Lovell also had a small part in the movie Rocky which came out that year, playing Spider Rico, Rocky's first opponent in the movie. He also appeared in The Ring magazine and on television. After drawing against Dwain Bonds and beating a local fighter in Argentina called Juan Antonio Musladino on points, it was obvious Norton had ruined him. He then faced Mike Weaver in November of 1977 and dropped a wide decision to him, after which he retired. He was plagued by various injuries as well as prostate problems during his career. He was 32 when he retired and left behind a record of 18 wins, with 14 ko's, 3 losses and 2 draws. Lovell also appeared in the 2006 movie Rocky Balboa, where he had a slightly bigger role and speaking lines. He is the only one still alive of the fighters mentioned here and lives in San Jose, California.

 

I hope you enjoyed this presentation.

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