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Sorry Rob but I have to disagree with you on this.I thought he was an embarrassment to British boxing throughout his career.He stole the title from Cooper and fought mostly bums after that.He danced around to avoid getting hit by Ali and he beat Richard Dunn. RIP though and condolences to his family and friends.
Sorry Rob but I have to disagree with you on this.I thought he was an embarrassment to British boxing throughout his career.He stole the title from Cooper and fought mostly bums after that.He danced around to avoid getting hit by Ali and he beat Richard Dunn. RIP though and condolences to his family and friends.
I thought he was much maligned! Was a longtime ago though!!
Sorry Rob but I have to disagree with you on this.I thought he was an embarrassment to British boxing throughout his career.He stole the title from Cooper and fought mostly bums after that.He danced around to avoid getting hit by Ali and he beat Richard Dunn. RIP though and condolences to his family and friends.
In the 1970s he took Ali (twice) and Frazier the distance in brutal encounters. Foreman dodged him. Considered by many boxing experts as the 4th best heavyweight of the 1970s. When you consider that the best 3 were Ali, Frazier and Foreman, that's some accolade. Arguably the second best British heavyweight behind Lennox Lewis.
In the lead up to the Ali fight he told Elvis Presley to "get stuffed". Presley's bodyguard, Big Red came over and said "Hey man what ya doin'? No one speaks to the King like that.'' Bugner replied "Mate, you tell Elvis he's a dickhead.''
In the 1970s he took Ali (twice) and Frazier the distance in brutal encounters. Foreman dodged him. Considered by many boxing experts as the 4th best heavyweight of the 1970s. When you consider that the best 3 were Ali, Frazier and Foreman, that's some accolade. Arguably the second best British heavyweight behind Lennox Lewis.
Sorry, Bugner wouldn't be in the top 5.
Ken Norton, Jimmy Young, Larry Holmes, Ron Lyle would all be before Bugner.
I liked Bugner, spoke to him a couple of times, thought he was pretty normal for a celeb. Actually, a mate of mine from Stonebridge Park / Harlesden, married his niece.
Oh yeah, though the judges robbed Henry Cooper (whom I met many times as he lived and worked near me), he was a tough man in a time when there were many tough men. Did ok.
Ken Norton, Jimmy Young, Larry Holmes, Ron Lyle would all be before Bugner.
I'm inclined to agree with you, I'm merely relaying what some boxing experts are saying. However, what he definitely wasn't was "an embarrassment to British boxing throughout his career". A very good boxer who deserves more respect but didn't get it because he wasn't British born-and-bred. Little wonder he switched to Australia.
Had all the ability but something was missing. I liked him and thought he got treated pretty badly here. RIP.
I'm sure I read somewhere that the morning after one of his fights with Ali, Bugner was in the hotel pool splashing around and partying, when someone pointed out that Ali was resting upstairs in his room utterly knackered, and if Bugner had put all his 'energies' into the bout a few hours earlier, he might have woken up the world champion.
Fought the main men of his era. Sad that his last years were taken from him by dementia.
'Always In Motion' by John Honney available on amazon.co.uk
Had all the ability but something was missing. I liked him and thought he got treated pretty badly here. RIP.
He always struck me as a boxer who didn't really like boxing but that may have had something to do with the death of one of his early opponents from brain injuries.
Always think of this Fight with Joe. The only time i ever saw him lose his wrag in the ring After a headbutt from one of british boxings greatest characters, Winston Allen .
The KO in round 3 was delivered with all the noble savagery of a Silverback dressed in a William Hunt chalk stripe suit. Reminded me a bit of the Lennox lewis KO punch of Tyson.
I always thought he got a raw deal from the British public. They never forgave him Beating Cooper , yet even more , they never forgave him for not making the most of his natural size ,undoubted ability, his defensive style and reluctance to get hurt by mixing it on the canvas,
The “Aussie Joe” thing was very funny. IIRC, his wife soon became his manager and she was an Aussie, so it must’ve been her great idea. Can’t blame him for finally turning his back on the British public, though, who, as you said, never forgive him for getting the verdict against Cooper. Like he was the Ref!
My first memory of him this week was when he fought Marvis Frazier, oddly enough. I still recall my Dad screaming at the Telly, “bloody hit him, for christ’s sake, Bugner!” and that was all he really needed to do, but he didn’t. Must have been because he was promised a decent wedge if he gave the kid a decent workout, but on no account, must you beat him. or hit him!
A proper character, for all his flaws. RIP, Joe.
I need a SAGA. What’s the SAGA? It’s ….. Queen’s Park Rangers.
I'm inclined to agree with you, I'm merely relaying what some boxing experts are saying. However, what he definitely wasn't was "an embarrassment to British boxing throughout his career". A very good boxer who deserves more respect but didn't get it because he wasn't British born-and-bred. Little wonder he switched to Australia.
He was in the year above one of my mates at school in Bedford. Came over from Hungary after the 1956 revolution.
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