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Oscar Natalio "Ringo" Bonavena (September 25, 1942 – May 22, 1976) was an Argentine
The following year, in 1968, after outpointing
''
BoxRec.com. Retrieved on 2012-03-18. , - style="text-align:center; background:#e3e3e3;" , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Res. , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Record , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Opponent , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Type , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Rd., Time , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Date , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Location , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Notes , - align=center , Win , 58-9-1 , align=left,
Nevada's Most Infamous Brothel, Mustang Ranch, Back In Business
Fox News
Woman Who Operated Mustang Ranch Dies
Spokesman-Review, September 9, 1992
heavyweight
Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling.
Boxing Professional
Boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 3 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the W ...
professional boxer with a career record of 58 wins, 9 losses and 1 draw. A rugged, wild-swinging puncher, he was nicknamed "Ringo" because of his Beatles haircut, and enjoyed professional success in both Argentina and the United States. He is remembered for giving Joe Frazier
Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944November 7, 2011), nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. He was known for his strength, durability, formidable left hand, and relentless pressure ...
and Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, ...
hard fought bouts.
Life and pro career
Oscar Natalio Bonavena was born inBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the Capital city, capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata ...
to two Italian immigrants. He was a professional boxer, Argentinian and South American champion. He also participated in several Argentinian TV programs such as the Pepe Biondi Show.
Early career
Bonavena began his early career inNew York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...
under the management of World War II hero and dentist Marvin Goldberg.
His pro debut was on February 1, 1964. He soon racked up a quick string of early knockouts, but was overmatched early, sometimes fighting twice a month, and lost by a decision in February 1965 to then-highly rated Zora Folley. Bonavena was in only his 15th contest, and was far too inexperienced to then really tackle a top veteran like Folley. It was a one-sided contest, with Bonavena getting up off the deck from a wicked right hand. Even courageous Oscar looked discouraged and shaken at times in the later rounds. However, three years later -- with far more experience and training -- he won their rematch by decision.
After that, he returned to Argentina, where his winning and knockout streak continued. But in mid-1966 he was enticed back to New York, and the free-swinging Bonavena soon ran into trouble outside the ring. He called Muhammad Ali a black kangaroo
Kangaroos are four marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern ...
and even a chicken
The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domestication, domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey junglefowl, grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster ...
for draft dodging. Ali was furious. Oscar was one of the few people to upstage Ali in pre-fight press conferences. When, much later, he saw Ali seated ringside at the George Foreman
George Edward Foreman (born January 10, 1949) is an American former professional boxer, entrepreneur, minister and author. In boxing, he was nicknamed "Big George" and competed between 1967 and 1997. He is a two-time world heavyweight champ ...
– Ken Norton fight, he went over and started a big slanging match. In his pre-fight press conference with Frazier, Bonavena needled effectively by implying that Frazier had a personal hygiene problem. He would start sniffing and grimace. Lawsuits were brought about by reporters with broken cameras; and other such "colorful" behavior. He was always volatile, as trainers soon discovered.
Big name contests, Chuvalo and Frazier
Bonavena first came to wide public attention after a fine performance: defeating rated contender and Canadian champion George Chuvalo, boxing technically better than expected, and later going the distance against the young hard-hitting greatJoe Frazier
Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944November 7, 2011), nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. He was known for his strength, durability, formidable left hand, and relentless pressure ...
. In this, their first fight, Bonavena had the future champion down twice in the second round.
WBA elimination contests
In 1967, after theWorld Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association (WBA), formerly known as the National Boxing Association (NBA), is the oldest and one of four major organizations which sanction professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Council (WBC), International Box ...
stripped Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, ...
of the title for refusing to be inducted into the U.S. military, Bonavena participated in that sanctioning body's 1967 tournament to crown a new heavyweight champion. In a strong performance he decked favoured European champion Karl Mildenberger four times, winning by a decision in Frankfurt
Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its ...
, West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
. But he was himself knocked down twice and clearly outboxed by eventual tournament winner Jimmy Ellis Jimmy Ellis may refer to:
* Jimmy Ellis (boxer) (1940–2014), American boxer
* Jimmy "Orion" Ellis (1945–1998), American singer
* Jimmy "Preacher" Ellis (born 1935), American musician
* Jimmy Ellis (1938–2012), lead singer of The Trammps
* ...
in the semi-finals in Louisville, losing by unanimous decision in an upset. Many deemed it the best win of Ellis's career.
World Title shot, the Frazier rematch
The following year, in 1968, after outpointing Leotis Martin
Leotis Martin (June 17, 1939 – November 20, 1995) was an American boxer, the first ever NABF heavyweight champion and is best known for his victory over former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. Martin was a good puncher and a fairly skille ...
, he got a rematch with Frazier for the heavyweight title in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
. After a grueling fifteen rounds Bonavena lost the rematch by decision, fighting more defensively than previous. He left with a seriously battered face, as photographed in the Ring magazine. In 1969, he got a draw in a rematch with talented Gregorio Peralta, who he'd outpointed four years earlier for the Argentine title.
Versus Ali
In December 1970, he fought Ali at Madison Square Garden, in the former champ's second bout after his three-year layoff. Bonavena absorbed punishment throughout but fought well, getting through with various head and body punches. With just under 1:30 left in the 15th and final round, Ali caught Oscar rushing in and decked him with a perfectly placed left hook. Bonavena got up, but was clearly not fully recovered. Ali decked him twice more, and the fight was automatically stopped under the three knockdown rule, giving Ali a TKO (technical knockout). The ending was somewhat controversial, as Ali stood over Bonavena as Bonavena was getting up, never going to a neutral corner as the rules of boxing require, which allowed Ali to quickly knockdown Bonavena twice more and automatically end the fight. After the second knockdown, the referee appears to be attempting to guide Ali to a neutral corner, but Ali brushes the referee's arm away and pursues a wobbly Bonavena.Other matches
After the loss to Ali in 1970, he had a brutally tough match with underrated Alvin Lewis, being decked multiple times but eventually winning by disqualification. Bonavena fought intermittently for the next few years. A gregarious party man, he enjoyed life fully, at the cost of his professional boxing career. Eventually losses to Floyd Patterson in 1972 and Ron Lyle in 1974 effectively put him to lower ranking contender status, although he did well enough in both these matches. In the Patterson fight he broke his left hand early, possibly after decking Patterson in the fourth, and remained an advancing threat to the final bell. It was around 1973 a possible match with a then on the rise Ken Norton was being planned but, unfortunately for fans, it never materialised. On February 26, 1976, overweight and sluggish Bonavena fought what would be his last fight, winning a ten-round decision over the unrankedBilly Joiner
Billy Joiner (10 May 1938 - 2019), was an American professional boxer from Cincinnati, U.S.
Early life
Joiner was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on 10 May 1938. His father was a former professional boxer, as was his uncle who had once knocked out ...
in Reno.
Death
On 22 May 1976 Bonavena was shot dead at the age of 33 by a security guard at the Mustang Ranch nearReno, Nevada
Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the c ...
, after having become involved in a conflict with its owner.Man who killed Oscar Bonavena dies''
Las Vegas Review-Journal
The ''Las Vegas Review-Journal'' is a daily subscription newspaper published in Las Vegas, Nevada, since 1909. It is the largest circulating daily newspaper in Nevada and one of two daily newspapers in the Las Vegas area.
The ''Review-Journal'' ...
'' His body was returned to Argentina to lie in state at the Luna Park
Luna Park is a name shared by dozens of currently operating and defunct amusement parks. They are named after, and partly based on, the first Luna Park, which opened in 1903 during the heyday of large Coney Island parks. Luna parks are small-s ...
sports arena in Buenos Aires, where 150,000 people filed by, afterwards being buried in La Chacarita Cemetery in Buenos Aires.Entry in Findagrave for Bonavena's grave (2019). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22433/oscar-natalio-bonavena
Professional boxing record
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="8", 58 Wins (44 Knockouts), 9 Defeats, 1 DrawOscar Bonavena's Professional Boxing RecordBoxRec.com. Retrieved on 2012-03-18. , - style="text-align:center; background:#e3e3e3;" , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Res. , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Record , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Opponent , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Type , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Rd., Time , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Date , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Location , style="border-style:none none solid solid; ", Notes , - align=center , Win , 58-9-1 , align=left,
Billy Joiner
Billy Joiner (10 May 1938 - 2019), was an American professional boxer from Cincinnati, U.S.
Early life
Joiner was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on 10 May 1938. His father was a former professional boxer, as was his uncle who had once knocked out ...
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, Win
, 57-9-1
, align=left, Reinaldo Gorosito
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, Win
, 56-9-1
, align=left, Mani Vaka
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, Win
, 55-9-1
, align=left, Oliver Wright
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, Win
, 54-9-1
, align=left, Bob Mashburn
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, Win
, 53-9-1
, align=left, Larry Renaud
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, Win
, 52-9-1
, align=left, Larry Middleton
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, Loss
, 51-9-1
, align=left, Ron Lyle
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, Win
, 51-8-1
, align=left, Terry Sorrell
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, Win
, 50-8-1
, align=left, Lou Bailey
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, Win
, 49-8-1
, align=left, Roy Wallace
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, Win
, 48-8-1
, align=left, Leroy Caldwell
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, Loss
, 47-8-1
, align=left, Floyd Patterson
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, 47-7-1
, align=left, Alvin Lewis
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, Loss
, 46-7-1
, align=left, Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, ...
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, Win
, 46-6-1
, align=left, Luis Pires
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, Win
, 45-6-1
, align=left, James J Woody
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, Win
, 44-6-1
, align=left, Manuel Ramos
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, Win
, 43-6-1
, align=left, José Menno
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, Win
, 42-6-1
, align=left, Santiago Lovell
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, Loss
, 41-6-1
, align=left, Miguel Angel Paez
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, Win
, 41-5-1
, align=left, Santiago Lovell
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, style="background:#abcdef;", Draw
, 40-5-1
, align=left, Gregorio Peralta
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, Win
, 40-5
, align=left, Wilhelm Von Homburg
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, Win
, 39-5
, align=left, Luis Pires
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, Loss
, 38-5
, align=left, Joe Frazier
Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944November 7, 2011), nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. He was known for his strength, durability, formidable left hand, and relentless pressure ...
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, Win
, 38-4
, align=left, Jim Fletcher
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, Win
, 37-4
, align=left, Leotis Martin
Leotis Martin (June 17, 1939 – November 20, 1995) was an American boxer, the first ever NABF heavyweight champion and is best known for his victory over former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. Martin was a good puncher and a fairly skille ...
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, Win
, 36-4
, align=left, Zora Folley
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, Win
, 35-4
, align=left, Roberto Davila
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, Win
, 34-4
, align=left, Lee Carr
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, Win
, 33-4
, align=left, Alberto Benassi
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, Win
, 32-4
, align=left, Felipe Pedro Marich
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, Loss
, 31-4
, align=left, Jimmy Ellis Jimmy Ellis may refer to:
* Jimmy Ellis (boxer) (1940–2014), American boxer
* Jimmy "Orion" Ellis (1945–1998), American singer
* Jimmy "Preacher" Ellis (born 1935), American musician
* Jimmy Ellis (1938–2012), lead singer of The Trammps
* ...
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, Win
, 31-3
, align=left, Karl Mildenberger
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, Win
, 30-3
, align=left, Carlos Vazquez
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, Win
, 29-3
, align=left, Luis Pires
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, align=left,
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, Win
, 28-3
, align=left, Pablo Sagrispanti
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, Win
, 27-3
, align=left, Hubert Hilton
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, Win
, 26-3
, align=left, Jose Giorgetti
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, Win
, 25-3
, align=left, Roberto Veliz
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, Win
, 24-3
, align=left, Alberto Benassi
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, Win
, 23-3
, align=left, Amos Johnson
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, Win
, 22-3
, align=left, Alberto Benassi
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, Loss
, 21-3
, align=left, Joe Frazier
Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944November 7, 2011), nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. He was known for his strength, durability, formidable left hand, and relentless pressure ...
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, Win
, 21-2
, align=left, George Chuvalo
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, Win
, 20-2
, align=left, Jose Giorgetti
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, Loss
, 19-2
, align=left, Jose Giorgetti
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, Win
, 19-1
, align=left, Bruno Segura
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, Win
, 18-1
, align=left, Billy Daniels
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, Win
, 17-1
, align=left, Hector Wilson
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, Win
, 16-1
, align=left, Pablo Sagrispanti
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, Win
, 15-1
, align=left, Gregorio Peralta
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, Win
, 14-1
, align=left, Alberto Gonzales
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, Win
, 13-1
, align=left, Eduardo Cartelli
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, Win
, 12-1
, align=left, Rodolfo Diaz
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, Win
, 11-1
, align=left, Rogelio Gregorutti
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, Win
, 10-1
, align=left, Carlos Vazquez
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, align=left,
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, Win
, 9-1
, align=left, Rene Sosa
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, align=left,
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, Loss
, 8-1
, align=left, Zora Folley
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, align=left,
, align=left,
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, Win
, 8-0
, align=left, Billy Stephan
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, align=left,
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, Win
, 7-0
, align=left, Dick Wipperman
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, align=left,
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, Win
, 6-0
, align=left, Tom McNeeley
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, Win
, 5-0
, align=left, Byron Stoimenides
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, Win
, 4-0
, align=left, Leslie Borden
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, align=left,
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, Win
, 3-0
, align=left, Wendell Newton
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, Win
, 2-0
, align=left, Everett Copeland
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, Win
, 1-0
, align=left, Lou Hicks
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See also
* Luis Ángel Firpo *José María Gatica
José María Gatica (25 May 1925 – 12 November 1963) was an Argentine boxer, one of Argentina's most famous sports idols. Gatica fought 96 times, winning 86 (72 by KO). He was a popular figure in Argentina.
However, Gatica's boxing career was ...
* Justo Suárez
References
Nevada's Most Infamous Brothel, Mustang Ranch, Back In Business
Fox News
Woman Who Operated Mustang Ranch Dies
Spokesman-Review, September 9, 1992
External links
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bonavena, Oscar 1942 births 1976 deaths Heavyweight boxers Boxers from Buenos Aires Argentine expatriate sportspeople in the United States Argentine people of Italian descent Male murder victims Argentine people murdered abroad Argentine murder victims People murdered in Nevada Deaths by firearm in Nevada Burials at La Chacarita Cemetery Argentine male boxers