By Eric Bottjer
NINO BENVENUTI, 87, Italian boxing legend and former two-time middleweight champion, passed in May in Rome. The handsome, charismatic Benvenuti won the gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics and turned pro afterward, a loser of only one of 120 amateur bouts. He won the light-middleweight title as a pro in 1965, beating Sando Mazzinghi in front of 40,000 fans in Rome. He lost the belt in his second title defense against South Korean Ki Soo Kim in Seoul (the Associated Press scored the match a draw). Benvenuti took the middleweight championship from Emile Griffith in 1967, starting a trilogy that was competitive – although not very exciting – with Emile winning the rematch and Nino regaining the title in the rubber match. Nino held his title after his second win over Griffith for three more years, defending it four times before meeting an unknown Argentine in Rome in November 1970. Carlos Monzon showed Benvenuti – and the boxing world – that he was a great fighter, stopping Nino in 12. In a rematch, Nino fought brilliantly in the opening round, reminding everyone why he was Olympic and world champion. Then his house collapsed, as Monzon decked him twice in the second and stopped him in the third with stark violence. Nino had just turned 33. He exited boxing, dabbled in acting, and invested wisely in restaurants and clothing stores. Benvenuti was deeply spiritual, a lover of classical music (which he listened to on his way to fights), well-read (Voltaire and Hemingway were favorites) and an empath. When the moody, violent Monzon was arrested for killing his wife, Benvenuti supported his former foe, visiting him several times in prison after his murder conviction and was a pallbearer at Monzon’s funeral. Griffith was a godfather to one of Nino’s sons. In 1995, with zero notice or fanfare, Benvenutti volunteered at a leper colony in India. A champion, indeed.
TOMASZ BEZVODA, 38, light-heavy from Cezchia, died in September. Bezvoda, who was 18-26-2 (11 KOs) at the time of his death, was known in Europe as a fighter who would take a fight on short notice. No cause of death was given, although his manager indicated Bezvoda had been going through a difficult time overall. He left a 9-year-old daughter.
BOBBY BLAND, 65, Canadian middleweight, passed in September. Bland went 13-6-1 (10 KO’s) from 1979-1983. Bland, of Toronto, trained with Carmen Graziano in Atlantic City and fought his last few fights there. Bland ran an amateur boxing club in his later years.
BIKO BOTOWAMUNGU, 68, African heavyweight, died in August from kidney failure and pulmonary embolism. Biko, a well-known “opponent” in the 1990s who lost to Wladimir Klitschko, Chris Byrd and Lamon Brewster, suffered from dementia late in life. When he retired in 2004, he was a deceiving 10-16-1 (10 KOs), with the last 10 fights of his career being losses. Biko represented the Congo in the 1988 Olympics, losing to Riddick Bowe in the early rounds.
LIVINGSTONE BRAMBLE, 64, former lightweight title holder, died in March. Bramble was an overnight sensation, when, as a lightly-regarded contender with limited experience (21 fights), he shocked WBA belt-holder Ray Mancini, stopping the popular Mancini in 14 rounds in June 1984. Bramble, a Rastafarian, was considered eccentric and played to that image, producing a voodoo doll of Mancini at a press conference and stabbing its eyes. In addition, Bramble brought a witch doctor named “Dr. Doo,” which unsettled and angered Mancini (Dr. Doo was actually Bramble’s high school basketball coach). Mancini vowed Bramble had no chance, but after six rounds of hitting a cautious Bramble’s arms and shoulders, he tired and Bramble beat him into submission. A rematch produced a very competitive 15-rounder, won by Bramble. Seven months later, Edwin Rosario knocked Bramble out in two rounds. Bramble fought another 17 years, eventually becoming a “name” opponent. He finished at 40-26-3 (25 KOs). He lived in Las Vegas after retirement. Bramble, born in St. Kitts, grew up in St. Croix, where he discovered boxing. He moved to New Jersey at age 16. Bramble was buried in Frederiksted in the Virgin Islands.
MIKE BRESTLE, 52, friend of Chazz Witherspoon who promoted two of the heavyweight’s fights in 2010, died in September. No cause of death was given, but his obituary encouraged readers to contact a suicide hotline in times of emotional crisis. Brestle was a partner in New Jersey’s Rising Star Promotions, which promotes boxing throughout the Garden State.
TOMMY BROOKS, 71, famed trainer who worked with heavyweight champions Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Hasim Rahman at various times during their careers, died in July in Georgia from cancer. Brooks, a former pro with a 7-3 record, gained fame by working with various boxers on the Main Events roster. He married into the family (Donna, a daughter of Lou Duva, whom Brooks often shared corner work with various Main Events boxers) and earned a reputation as a non-nonsense presence, contrasting with Lou Duva’s bluster and co-trainer George Benton’s strategy. “He always told the truth,” said Shaun George, one of Brooks’ boxers. “That’s what all men should strive to be like.”
JOE BUGNER, 75, former heavyweight title challenger, died in August from dementia at a Brisbane nursing home, where he spent the last three years of his life. Caretakers said Bugner was upbeat and a model resident, despite his advanced senility. Bugner’s mental health spiraled when his wife, Marlene, passed in 2021. In his final years, he told visitors that Marlene was “out shopping,” as he had no memory of her passing. Nor of his boxing career. “He’s not unhappy,” Bugner’s son, Joe Jr., told writer Colin Hart in a 2023 interview, noting the facility was first-rate and the staff doted on its celebrity guest. And the vain Adonis-like Bugner was still in great shape. “He believes he’s only 38,” said Joe Jr.
Bugner was born in Hungary in poverty. When the occupying Soviet Union army fought an uprising in 1958, Bugner’s mom escaped with Joe and an older brother to England. The 6-year-old Bugner remembered hiding in a cornfield as the Soviet tanks rolled past.
The Bugners settled into a poor section of Bedford. His father remained in Hungary and Joe and his brother worked in a factory as a teenagers. Joe only attended school for athletics. When the school track coach ignored Bugner’s pleas to throw the discus, Bugner went to a boxing gym. After an uneventful one-year amateur career, Bugner told pro. The Hungarian was knocked out in the third round of his debut. Bugner wanted to quit, but local promoters were intrigued with Bugner’s good looks and athleticism and urged him to continue. Bugner gained revenge over his conqueror and established himself as Europe’s best heavyweight, beating an aging Henry Cooper in 1971 for the British title – and earning a lifetime of wrath from UK fans for retiring the popular Cooper (“I won the fight and lost the country,” Bugner said later).
Bugner will forever be linked with Muhammad Ali, whom he fought twice. A 22-year-old Bugner took Ali the 12-round distance in 1973, impressing everyone. Three years later, after Ali had regained the championship, he met Bugner in Malaysia. Again, the pair went the distance, but this time Bugner was timid, earning the wrath of England’s crusty sportswriters (“The Harmless Hercules,” screamed one headline). Bugner denounced his adopted home country and moved to California.
In 1980, Bugner began the first of two comebacks. A shrewd businessman, Bugner noted that England had a champion in Frank Bruno, who was just as popular as Cooper had been. Bugner put on his black hat and skewered Bruno in the media, building up a grudge match. In 1986 he moved to Australia (Bugner’s wife, Marlene was Aussie – she and Joe were introduced at a Hollywood party by Elizabeth Taylor). Bugner pointedly – and constantly – raved about his new homeland and trashed England, enraging his former countrymen even more. In 1987, Bugner and Bruno finally met at a Tottenham soccer stadium in front of 40,000 fans, who delighted in seeing Bruno stomp Bugner in eight one-sided rounds. Bugner took his bruised body and million-dollar purse back to Australia and disappeared for eight years after opening a vineyard.
Bad investments forced Bugner back in the ring in 1995, and “Aussie Joe,” as his adopted countrymen called him, won eight of nine fights and retired again, this time saving his money. Bugner spent his time taking occasional TV roles on Australian sitcoms. In 2004 actor Russell Crowe hired him as an advisor to the Jim Braddock film biopic “Cinderella Man.” Bugner was canned halfway through filming for undisclosed reasons, prompting the ex-pug to label Crowe a “fucking girl.”
Bugner later suffered from constant physical pain, which he says came from boxing too long (he had 83 pro fights). He lamented that his decision win over Cooper in 1971 literally drove him from England. “Worst thing that ever happened to me,” he said.
The adopted Australian last saw Ali in 2000 at the Sydney Olympics. Overcome, a teary Bugner hugged Ali, who feigned anger and pushed him away. “Bugner, you haven’t turned queer on me,” he rasped with a smile. “How many kids you have now?” Bugner replied five. “I’ve got nine,” Ali smiled. “Beat you again.”
STEVE BUMBALL, 65, New Jersey boxing historian, passed away “peacefully” at his Rickard’s Lake home in October. Steve worked as a sales rep for a local equipment company, but his passion was history. A member of the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame, Steve had large collection of boxing memorabilia, political buttons and was co-founder of the Asbury Park Rock and Roll Museum.
JACKIE BURKE, 82, Canadian featherweight, died in January. Burke, from New Brunswick, went 16-15 (2 KOs) from 1964-1971. Burke’s last victory was a 12-round decision over Art Hafey for the Canadian bantamweight title, a title Burke captured in his 4th pro fight and never lost over the next six years.
PAUL BURKE, 58, British lightweight, passed in July. Burke was 28-13-4 (10 KOs) from 1987-1999, with stints as European and British champion. No cause of death was given, although a family member said Burke “battled illness” the past few years. His death was described as sudden.
GLENN BYNUM, 90, Chicago boxing doctor, passed in September. Bynum was a beloved old-school physician who volunteered with the Chicago Golden Gloves for nearly 20 years.
JOE BYRD, 89, father of Chris Byrd and a former pro heavyweight himself, died in June. Byrd spent his life in boxing, first as a boxer, compiling a 13-19-1 record (6 KOs) from 1964-1972, including a notable debut where he fought promoter Don Elbaum, who also was making his debut (filling in for a missing fighter on his own show) – Byrd won by decision. Byrd went six rounds with Ron Stander and lasted into the third with Earnie Shavers. Known as “Toy Block,” because he was short and stout, Byrd trained with his wife and hired random seconds at his bouts to save money. He retired to train six of his children, including Chris, an Olympic silver medalist and eventual world heavyweight title belt-holder. Joe Byrd was a coach on the 1992 Olympic team (that featured his son), which earned three gold medals.
RON BYRD, 62, brother of Chris Byrd and son to Joe Byrd, died in August, just two months after his father passed. Byrd was 10-1-1 as a pro (4 KOs) and was a three-time Michigan Golden Gloves champion. In 1992, while an active pro, Byrd was in a car accident in Flint that ended his career and caused him discomfort the remainder of his life.
JESUS MECADO CABRERA, 21, Mexican bantamweight, was murdered in Sonora in September. Cabrera’s body was found wrapped in a blanket, his hands bound. Cabrera, who was 7-9, was training for a fight in September.
MARTY CAPASSO, 69, Delaware heavyweight, died in May. From 1978-1985, Capasso went 20–6 with 12 KOs) from 1978-1985. Capasso turned pro after playing college football at Cheyney University in Pennsylvania. Capasso was solid, losing close decisions to Stan Ward (split), Alfredo Evangelista and Rocky Sekorski (split). He worked as a parole officer and narcotics agent in retirement.
HERB CARLSON, 100, Idaho middleweight amateur star, passed in September. Carlson was three national collegiate championships, his last title coming in 1950 at 165 lbs (college boxing thrived in the United States until 1960). Carlson lost in the 1948 Olympic Trials semifinals. Carlson studied at the University of Idaho and ran sporting goods store for 40 years in Nampa.
MARCEL CERDAN JR., 81, son from French boxing legend and former welterweight contender died in January of pneumonia. Cerdan was a quality fighter, going 56-5-3 (18 KOs) from 1964-1975, but could never secure a title shot, despite being rated at times in The Ring’s top 10 as a welterweight and middleweight. Cerdan maximized his abilities, but could never escape his father’s shadow. Cerdan Jr. was just 6 years old when his father died in a plane crash. Cerdan was raised by Edith Piaf in Paris and was determined from an early age to become a boxer (Cerdan Sr. was against any of his children becoming boxers). Cerdan played his father in a 1983 film about Piaf’s life and Cerdan Jr. developed a clothing brand that carried his family name.
ROBERT CLEVENGER, 64, Tennessee cruiserweight, died in May. Clevenger was 25-10-2 (14 KOs) in a 10-year career that started in 1987.
VICTOR CONTE, 75, famed and infamous supplement supplier and later boxing trainer, died in November, shortly after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Conte will forever be associated with BALCO, the Bay Area company that provided athletes sophisticated blood and urine testing, workout regimes, various supplements – including performance enhancing drugs. BALCO provided designer steroids to Barry Bonds and Olympian Marion Jones among others until a federal investigation resulted in BALCO being shut down in 2003. Conte served four months in federal prison and formed a new sports nutrition company (SNAC) that worked with many boxers and became an anti-doping advocate.
