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Former heavyweight contender Ron Lyle said this about Joe Bugner.
“Joe could really fight,” Lyle told Steve Bounce of boxingnewsonline.net. “And if you weren’t on your game, guess what, you got an ass-whuppin’. We had a hard fight that day in Vegas.”
Bugner was 17 when his boxing journey began.
Over the next 30-plus years, he’d engage in 83 fights, winning 69 while throwing hands with leading contenders and boxing legends. Bugner fought in an upright style. His jab was solid, as was his right, and especially his chin.
His boxing career led him to arenas in England, the United States, and Australia.
Bugner was born in Hungary in 1950. Six years later, his family fled to Britain after the Soviet Union invasion. Bugner boxed in the amateur ranks in the 1960s, winning 13 of 16 bouts, turning professional in 1967.
The young man stood six feet four and weighed over 200 pounds.
His debut fight at the Hilton Hotel in Mayfair, London, was a loss, but he bounced back to win his next 17 fights. His streak ended against Dick Hall, but Bugner was soon back in the winner’s circle again. He won a decision over one-time hotshot Manuel Ramos and stopped heavyweight title challenger Brian London before facing Chuck Wepner in Wembley, London.
Bugner had traveled to the United States to spar with Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and Sonny Liston. Ali said to Bugner, “Let me tell you something right now. You’re the ugliest white thing I think I’ve ever seen in my life. Your mother must have cried when she had you.”
Bugner paused and said, “You haven’t met my sister! Now that’s ugly.’’
Ali was impressed. Bugner learned a lot.
He fought Wepner on September 8, 1970. His jab turned Wepner into the New Jersey fighter’s nickname, “The Bayonne Bleeder. The referee stopped the fight in round three. Bugner continued his winning ways, meeting British icon Henry Cooper in 1971.
Cooper, soon to be 37, was making the 11th defense of his British, Commonwealth, and European titles. The fight went down at Empire Pool (now Wembley Arena).
Bugner and Cooper fought 15 hard-to-judge rounds. Bugner got the nod by a quarter of a point. Boos cascaded up and down the arena. Bugner was now a villain. He would never be able to replace Cooper in the hearts of the British boxing fans.
“When I beat Cooper, I was no longer British,” said Bugner years later. “I was a Hungarian refugee, and that was just ridiculous.”
Bugner lost his titles six months later. He was back in the ring soon after.
1972 was a busy year for Bugner. He often fought monthly, scoring eight stoppages and knocking out Jürgen Blin to recapture the European heavyweight title.
Bugner and Ali met up for real on Valentine’s Day in 1973. Bugner chased while Ali danced. The fight was entertaining. Ali outboxed Bugner over 12 rounds, but Bugner, fighting in the United States for the first time, acquitted himself well.
Five months later, Bugner was in London to face another former heavyweight champion. Joe Frazier had lost his title to George Foreman in a two-round beat down. Bugner went toe to toe with Frazier, absorbing many blows before going down in round 10. Bugner battled, buckling Frazier’s legs late in the fight.
The decision went to Frazier by a point, although it didn’t appear that close to those at ringside. Bugner had fought well, showing plenty of courage to mix it with Frazier.
Bugner won his next eight fights in succession. Victims included power-punching Mac Foster, Jimmy Ellis, and Jose Luis Garcia. Garcia had stopped Ken Norton in 1970.
The victory earned Bugner a rematch against Ali, who had shocked the world for a second time when he knocked out heavyweight champion and big favorite George Foreman in Africa. The fight went down on June 30, 1975, in Malaysia. The heat was oppressive, but didn’t bother Ali, who jumped out to a big lead over a tentative Bugner.
Bugner tried to mount a comeback, but the results were minimal. Ali scored a convincing 15-round unanimous decision.
The criticism of Bugner’s performance was harsh.
Promoter Mikey Duff said, “I suppose Joe, at the end of the day, money is the name of the game.”
Replied Bugner, “Yes, and being able to count it.”
The fight damaged Bugner’s reputation – already iffy, as some perceived his lack of effort as gutless. Bugner called it a career.
His retirement was short-lived. He returned a little over a year later to fight British, Commonwealth, and European champion Richard Dunn.
“I’m coming in to get my titles,” said Bugner.
He got to work fast, flooring Dunn with a right-hand mere seconds after the opening bell. Dunn got up, but was soon down again. Bugner finished the fight with another right.
Bugner would fight occasionally for the next 20+ years. He dropped fights against Earnie Shavers, Marvis Frazier, and Frank Bruno. At 48, he won something called the WBF title, a lesser version of the heavyweight crown. He retired soon after.
The rugged-looking Bugner has 23 acting credits to his name.
Sadly, financial burdens have been a problem for several years.
Dementia attacked Bugner a few years ago.
He has no memories of his fights.
Bugner’s boxing career was a good one. He defeated many contenders and fought Muhammad Ali twice and Joe Frazier.
He was hardly gutless.
He’s underrated and still unappreciated.
Joe Bugner could fight.
