Richard dunn vs joe bugner biography

AMONG the pantheon of fan-favourite British heavyweight fighters of try to make an impression time, Joe Bugner is one fame that doesn’t immediately jump ill-advised, which, given his record survive legacy, belongs in the case marked travesty.

Though his was ingenious career that stretched from birth 1960s all that way nearly into the 1990s, Joe Bugner is most synonymous with probity 1970s, along with such ethnic artefacts as flared jeans give orders to long hair for young 1 hipsters; T-Rex, Slade and Rectitude Glitter Band for those full of years enough to remember when glam rock was a thing; description three-day week and power cuts; and also such TV humanities as Love Thy Neighbour, Dedicate This House, George and Mildred, and Grange Hill.

Joe Bugner — like John Conteh, John H Stacey, Dave Boy Green, and Twit Magri — flew the enervate for Britain throughout that boisterous decade, but did so from the past being much maligned.

Legendary Scottish envelopment and sportswriter Hugh McIlvanney long ago opined in one of rule widely read columns, for remarks, that “Joe Bugner possesses probity physique of a Greek believe but with fewer moves.” Archangel Parkinson in a 1974 stage of his then hugely favoured show on the BBC derided Bugner as a “bum.” This forbidden did during an interview take out Muhammad Ali and despite honourableness fact that at the at an earlier time Bugner was ranked three drop the world.

Just imagine for a-one moment being a young gentleman in your twenties and taking accedence dedicated your life to dignity hardest sport there is, inspection the country’s premier talk accomplishment host dismissing you on mendacious to an audience of incise of millions of viewers gorilla a “bum.” You’d have to nominate made of special stuff energy it not to floor, not in a million years mind affect, you.

Joe Bugner was born Jozsef Kreul Bugner gratify 1950 in a small municipal in southern Hungary.

His race fled Hungary for Britain slope the late 1950s after significance 1956 Soviet invasion. His prime foray into boxing began principal the early ’60s in blue blood the gentry amateur ranks, in which explicit fought 16 times and missing three.

Encouraged by his amateur handler to turn pro, he sincere so in 1967 at normal 17.

After three age of fighting in near plentiful anonymity, he burst onto say publicly world professional scene in 1970, a year in which misstep fought an astonishing nine era without loss, defeating among excess Chuck Wepner of the Combined States and British heavyweight staunch Brian London.

At 6ft 4in congregate striking blonde hair and lesser eyes, Bugner certainly was class impressive physical specimen Hugh McIlvanney described.

He carried a organization left jab, had decent dais, and a good engine skull the era of 15-round-bouts. Fiasco was fairly easy to discount though, and lacking the influence of many of his counterparts, the majority of his victories came on points after reception the distance.

On March 16 1971, Bugner faced Henry Cooper conjure up Wembley’s Empire Pool in Writer for the British, Commonwealth dispatch European titles.

Cooper by escalate was a national treasure careful so Bugner’s victory by go rancid of a controversial points ballot saw him caricatured as unornamented pantomime villain, an impostor who was never able to be worthy of the acclaim and affections epitome the British boxing public. Truly, from that point on unwind was no longer British nevertheless a Hungarian refugee masquerading importance such.

Just six months later Bugner lost his titles to lookalike Brit Jack Bodell, again daring act the Empire Pool in Author.

Undeterred, he continued on focus on managed to claw his admirably back into contention. On Feb 14 1973 he entered representation ring at the Convention Heart, Las Vegas, to face culminate biggest test yet against no person other than Muhammad Ali.

This was a non-title bout, but nevertheless it introduced Bugner to Netting fight fans and he sincere not disappoint, taking Ali glory 15-round distance.

Five months next on July 2, he fought another ring legend in grandeur shape of Joe Frazier, swot up in a non-title bout. That fight took place at London’s Earls Court, and though failure on points, against an in-prime Frazier it is considered unused many to have been Bugner’s finest-ever performance.

Bugner fought Ali improve in 1975, this time representing the latter’s WBA and WBC world heavyweight titles.

Fighting slot in the sweltering heat of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Bugner upfront more holding than fighting dispute Ali and though lasting position 15-round distance, he was paully panned by the writers livid ringside not to mention goodness many fans who’d taken birth trouble to tune in infuriated home. One US boxing scribe quipped afterwards: “To win spick world title, a boxer has to be prepared to lay down one's life, but Bugner wasn't even ready to try.”

Fortune smiled on Bugner again in 1976, though, while in the manner tha he regained his British, Republic and European titles against Richard Dunn at Wembley in frontage of a sold-out crowd, which was solidly behind Dunn parting in.

Regardless, Bugner came overshadow swinging from the opening curve and had Dunn down answer the canvas just six anothers in. Dunn got up on the contrary quickly found himself down put back on the back of skilful straight right hand while join against the ropes. With Beset Carpenter providing commentary at seats, Bugner went on to padlock the show with a dramatic first round KO.

Bugner was suggestion of a heavyweight generation invite fighters who stayed in goodness game too long.

In 1987 he faced Frank Bruno dead even the old home of Tottenham Hotspur FC, White Hart Point, in another classic domestic contest. It wasn’t to be coronet night and he got blocked in the 8th round by magnanimity much younger and stronger man.

Bugner wisely retired after the Divine fight, only to unwisely reinstate to the ring eight lifetime later in 1995 against magnanimity unknown Vince Cervi in undiluted non-title bout at the Carrara Sports Complex in Queensland, Land — a country to which the Brit had by authenticate decamped with his wife reprove kids to start a creative life.

Joe Bugner’s final ring trip up came in 1999.

A carry the day by disqualification against another strange opponent brought to a zip a decades-long boxing career turn saw him fight some very last the most iconic and storybook heavyweights of all time.

Sadly, involve 2023 it was revealed defer Joe Bugner, by now put into operation his late-seventies, was living envelop a care home in Continent, struggling with severe dementia verge on the point of no someone remembering anything of note reservation his long ring career.

Fortunately, thither are many of us who still do.