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By: Sean Crose
We all know of such fighters – talented individuals who just so happened to be fighting in an era loaded with greats. Ernie Shavers comes to mind. As does British contender Joe Bugner, who passed away Monday at 78. “It is with great sadness that the former British, European and Commonwealth heavyweight champion, and world championship contender Joe Bugner has passed away at his care home in Brisbane, Australia,” wrote the British Boxing Board of Control. “The British Boxing Board of Control passes on its condolences to Joe’s family.” Born in Hungary Bugner and his family left the nation when Bugner was a child to escape the notorious Russian Invasion in 1956. England was to become the young Bugner’s home and It was there that the young man learned to box.
After turning professional Bugner’s career had its ups and downs and he ended up retiring with a record of 69-13-1 way after the point he perhaps should have. Still there’s no denying the man faced and sometimes looked fantastic against high profile competition. Shavers, Joe Frazier, and Ron Lyle were just some of the opponents Bugner battled in the ring. His two most important fights, however, were against Muhammad Ali. Indeed, Bugner’s second Ali bout was for Ali’s heavyweight championship.
Unfortunately no for the gutsy Bugner, Ali ended up walking away from both fights the winner courtesy of judge’s decisions. Although such losses kept Bugner from becoming a heavyweight champion or a legitimate star, there’s no doubt he was a notable force in an era of icons. With that being said, he continued to fight on and off for over two more decades before finally hanging up his well-worn gloves for good in the late ’90s.
There was no denying that Bugner was good enough to face the very best of his era. “In the first fight(against Ali),” he told The Guardian (via the New York Times), “I caught him with a beautiful right hand, and he said, ‘Damn, good punch, white boy, do it again!’ Now, I was only 22 years old, which meant I was stupid enough to try it, and he caught me with four solid punches to the jaw. The reactions, the speed, the timing were brilliant.”
“He’s a little better than I thought,” Ali reportedly said to the New York Times after their first match. “I didn’t know his legs were so good. He’s three times better than when I sparred with him through the years.”
