Muhammad Ali vs. Oscar Bonavena was a professional boxing match contested on December 7, 1970, for the NABF and Lineal heavyweight championship at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 7, 1970.

On the day of the fight Ali announced: I've never wanted to whup a man so bad.

[7] José Torres, who witnessed the bout, wrote that in the first round of the fight Ali looked like a bullfighter and Bonavena like a bull.

[9]In the middle of round 4, Ali began to tire and retreated to the ropes; Bonavena now had a stationary target to hit.

From rounds 4 through 8 of the fight, Ali continued defensive boxing with Bonavena stalking him relentlessly.

Leaning back against the ropes, Ali started depending on his reflexes rather than his feet to avoid Bonavena's punches.

However, the body shots Bonavena was throwing at Ali started connecting with some regularity.

The fight became insipid with Bonavena pursuing Ali, but lacking the requisite technique to end the bout.

"[7] After the fiercely contested ninth round, the fight degenerated into an insipid affair with Ali engaging in defensive boxing.

[12] In the final round of the bout, Bonavena, realizing that he needed a knockout to win the match, started throwing a barrage of punches at Ali.

[7] Bonavena's trainer Gil Clancy remembered:[B]y the fifteenth round, believe me, they were like two Golden Gloves kids.

His head was looking up toward the balcony somewhere, and he threw a left hook, hit Bonavena on the chin, and knocked him down.

[11]Ali would win the bout, his first at the current Madison Square Garden, through a technical knockout before the end of 15th round.

After the fight, Ali grabbed a microphone and shouted:I have done what Joe Frazier couldn't do--knocked out Oscar Bonavena.