Danny Bonaduce 1959-2009, and Beyond … Probably

The night of the match, at the Ice Works in Aston, the situation is looking bleak for Bonaduce. Canseco unexpectedly has been pounding him with left jabs to the face and rights to the belly. As the bell rings to begin the final one-minute round, Bonaduce rises from his stool and paces a ragged circle around the big guy. Canseco throws a left and a hard right, and Bonaduce is eating leather again. He lowers his head and bull-rushes the bigger man, but celebrity referee Vince Papale separates them, and moments later, Canseco connects with the hardest blow of the fight, a right to Bonaduce’s nose. The crowd roars. Bonaduce takes a deep breath. His nose feels broken. His mouth is full of blood. The bell rings, and it’s over. The judges score it a draw. You were expecting the celebrity fight at the skating rink to have a legitimate decision?

Monday morning, Bonaduce arrives at work with a picture-book black eye. He tells listeners that when he woke up the day after the fight, there was blood all over the sheets: “My bedroom looked like a murder scene.” So there’s plenty to talk about. For all those years, Bonaduce’s act was hurting, and his life was hurting. Ever since his act has been his life, he’s been on a roll.