Dec. 18, 1964 - The only thing Billy Stephan of Hollywood had going for him in the Madison Square Garden ring tonight was courage. It was not enough.
Oscar Bonavena, the unbeaten Argentine heavyweight from Buenos Aires, had youth, a tremendous weight edge, and terrible punching power. He put all those elements to work quickly to score a technical knockout over the West Coast fighter at 2:14 of the sixth round.
Stephan, hopelessly outclassed from the start, went down for a count of three early in the third round from a terrific left hook to the chin.
When he rose, he stumbled Into a neutral corner, his back turned to Bonavena, who was waiting to resume the action.
Before that round ended, Stephan, lunging forward to clinch Bonavena around the waist, fell to the floor again. There were a few cries of “stop it, stop it” from the fans, but referee Arthur Mercante took a close look at Stephan and allowed him to finish the round.
Before the start of the fourth, Dr. Samuel Swetnick of the state athletic commission examined Stephan in his corner. He, too, decided the West Coast battler was still in command of all his senses.
Through the fourth and fifth, Bonavena continued to dig smashing hooks to the midsection, followed by rights to the jaw.
Bonavena weighed 203½ pounds, 23 more than Stephan. Bonavena, 22, had 8 years of youth on his side. He also had, through the coaching of the astute Charley Goldman — the man who developed Rocky Marciano — a stinging left jab, a finely developed left hook, and a straight right hand that flashed often in combination with the other punches.
Stephan had only a flicking left jab. Only once, in the final round, did Stephan land a good punch. It was a straight right hand flush to Bonavena’s jaw. But Stephan’s limited arsenal had little firepower — it had been weakened by Bonavena’s damaging blows.
When the end came, Bonavena had just nailed Stephan to the ropes with a solid hook and a smashing right. Stephan, though willing, was unable to defend himself. Mercante’s action was correct despite some raucous boos from the more bloodthirsty fans. The victory was the eighth in eight professional bouts for the youngster from South America, his seventh by a knockout. He is the outstanding prospect in the heavyweight division and improving with every outing.
Bonavena said after the fight he’d hoped Mercante halted the bout sooner, adding that he felt sorry for Stephan and that he did not want to hurt him.
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