BOUT IN PROGRESS - NATURAL SOUND THROUGHOUT.




Initials DHC/VS/CR/PF


SPORT: BOXING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ARGENTINIAN HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING ACE OSCAR "RINGO" BONAVENA BEAT AMERICAN LEOTIS MARTIN ON POINTS IN A 10-ROUND BOUT IN BUENOS AIRES AT THE WEEKEND. NO TITLE WAS AT STAKE BUT IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE WINNER WOULD BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHALLENGE JOE FRAZIER'S WORLD TITLE.

BONAVENA LAST WEEK SURRENDERED THE ARGENTINE TITLE, AND GAVE NO REASON BEYOND "PERSONAL GROUNDS". THE ARGENTINE BOXING FEDERATION HAD TAKEN HIS CROWN AWAY TWO YEARS AGO FOR MISCONDUCT IN AND OUT OF THE RING, BUT REINSTATED HIM LAST YEAR.

BONAVENA, WHO ALSO HOLDS THE SOUTH AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE, WAS AMONG EIGHT CANDIDATES CHOSEN LAST YEAR BY THE WORLD BOXING ASSOCIATION TO FIGHT FOR THE VACANT WORLD TITLE.

THE BONAVENA-MARTIN BOUT WAS WELL-MATCHED, BUT BONAVENA KEPT UP A STEADY PRESSURE WHICH MARTIN WAS NOT ABLE TO REBUFF.

A LARGE CROWD TURNED OUT IN BUENOS AIRES' LUNA PARK STADIUM TO SEE THE BOUT.