WITH his movie star good looks and determination to be world champion, British boxer Joe Bugner could have been a true legend.
The fighter, who died at the age of 75, was the only man to twice go the distance with Muhammad Ali.
British boxer Joe Bugner has died at the age of 75Getty
Joe was the only man to twice go the distance with Muhammad AliRex Features
Shutterstock EditorialAt the age of 48 years and 110 days Bugner became the oldest winner of a world heavyweight title[/caption]
Having been defeated 13 times, Bugner eventually fought his way to a heavyweight world title at the age of 48 in 1998.
But the defence-minded pugilist had been booed in London when he beat the much-loved Henry Cooper in 1971 and ridiculed when he was defeated by Frank Bruno in 1987.
Unlike those two rivals, Bugner was no gentle giant outside of the ring.
The 6ft 4in tall brute beat up his first wife Melody, fled the country to avoid paying child support to his daughter Amy-Jane Broome and was declared bankrupt.
Always controversial, he said that film star Russell Crowe “threw a punch like a girl” and called the judge who ruled in Melody’s favour a “gin-drinking old bastard”.
He was a character and played Mr Bad Guy when we did the promotion for the fight.
Frank Bruno
Being the sport’s villain did make for a money-spinning box office.
When a bloated Bugner fought Bruno at White Hart Lane in London, it drew a huge crowd and purse for an all-British bout.
Paying tribute to his former opponent last night, Bruno said: “Just heard sad news of the passing of Joe.
“He was a character and played Mr Bad Guy when we did the promotion for the fight. He had a long career and fought many great heavyweights. A sad day for boxing.”
Born in Hungary, Bugner’s family fled from their communist homeland when he was aged six, but he didn’t know his father.
He grew up in Cambridgeshire and was a junior national discus champion.
Having lost his first professional fight in 1967, Bugner went on to win the next 18 bouts and in 1971 took Cooper’s British, Commonwealth and European heavyweight crowns at the age of 21.
But, years later, Bugner said: “I have never been asked the question [of who won between Cooper and I] but now I can honestly say that I believe Henry won it.
“It was close, but I thought Henry had just nicked it. I never wanted to be the man who ended Henry’s career. I had no idea that was to be his last fight.
“My biggest regret is that I took the opportunity away from Henry to finish at the top.”
In 1973 Bugner got his first shot at the all-time great Ali, lasting 12 rounds, and then did the same against Joe Frazier in the same year.
‘Biggest regret’
His defensive approach meant he lost on points both times.
The same happened when he lost to Ali in the heat of Kuala Lumpur in 1975 after 15 gruelling rounds.
Afterwards, Ali went to hospital with heat exhaustion, yet Joe was fit enough to sip champagne in a swimming pool.
Bugner was dubbed the “Harmless Hercules” by The Sun’s late Colin Hart while another writer described him as being “built like a Greek statue, but with fewer moves.”
But there was a good reason for Bugner not being willing to go in for the kill.
One of his early opponents Ulric Regis died of a brain injury after their fight.
Bugner admitted: “I would often think about whether the same thing could happen again and it did make me a bit more cautious when throwing punches.”
Boxer Joe beating Henry Cooper in 1971 to take his British and Commonwealth heavyweight titlesPA:Press Association
GettyJoe went 12 rounds but lost to Joe Frazier in 1973[/caption]
Bob Thomas Sports Photography – GettyJoe fighting Frank Bruno, who won in the eighth round, in 1987[/caption]
Against Frazier he did show guts by getting off the canvas to give the American a fight right until the end.
In 1976, he retired for the first time, having been beaten by Ron Lyle while competing with a broken toe.
Outside of the ring, he had a bitter and brutal first marriage.
He married Melody when he was aged 17 and she was 16-years-old.
They had three children, James, Joe and Amy, but he admitted to being “jealous as a rattlesnake” because his young wife had previously dated his brother Bill.
Displaying no shame for his domestic violence, he said: “I don’t regret hitting Melody.
“Maybe, there was no excuse, but I hit her many times during our marriage.”
After quitting, he moved to California where he met his second wife Marlene at a Hollywood party held by Joan Collins.
They married in November 1978 and pursued a career in acting, making low-budget movies such as The Sheriff and the Satellite Kid.
‘Purely for money’
A brief attempt to restart his boxing career in Britain in 1982 was curtailed when he was threatened with a two month jail sentence for failing to pay child support to Melody.
He moved to Marlene’s home country Australia in 1986, where he became a citizen and began another tilt at the world championship.
Impressive victories, led him to a £250,000 purse fight with Bruno in 1987 with the chance of taking on world champion Mike Tyson for the winner.
The crowd in London cheered for young contender Bruno and turned on “Aussie Joe”.
But having tipped the scales at 18st 4½lbs, Bugner’s corner threw in the towel in the eighth round as their man took a pummelling.
Again, Bugner vowed to retire for good.
He started making wine in Australia with his author wife, but it was a failed enterprise.
Joe with second wife MarleneGetty
ITVJoe appeared in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2009[/caption]
In 1994 the bank foreclosed on his vineyard in the Hunter Valley, which followed him being declared bankrupt in Britain for not paying his taxes.
He said at the time: “The winery was everything to us. It was for my retirement.”
In the same year George Foreman became world heavyweight champion at the age of 45 and Bugner thought he could replicate that success.
Stepping back into the ring in 1995, after nearly eight years out, he became Australian heavyweight champion.
He worked his way up to a title shot three years later in 1998 against the World Boxing Federation champion James ‘Bonecrusher’ Smith.
Before the £100,000 purse fight, Bugner admitted: “It’s purely for the money.
“There’s no such thing as doing it for love.
“No one in their right mind would go into the boxing ring for the love of it or the glory of winning the title.”
At the age of 48 years and 110 days Bugner became the oldest winner of a world heavyweight title.
But there was more fighting in the crowd in 1998, where disgruntled ticket holders showed their disapproval that Smith had retired after one round having dislocated his shoulder under a flurry of punches from Bugner.
A great man who will be missed. I’m sending my regards to his family. May he rest in peace.
Boxing promoter Frank Warren
A year later, Bugner finally hung up his boxing gloves for good.
His record was 69 wins with 41 knockouts in 83 fights.
Bugner remained a well-known personality, commentating on boxing and was hired as a consultant on Russell Crowe’s 2005 movie Cinderella Man which was about a boxer.
But he fell out with the Australian actor and Bugner said: “He’s a very talented bloke but off-screen he’s not worth two-bob.”
The boxer also appeared in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2009.
Marlene died in 2021 and, two years ago, it was revealed Bugner was in a care home in Brisbane in Australia suffering from dementia.
His eldest son Joe Jr told The Sun in 2023: “I’m afraid he remembers nothing about his boxing career. I found it heart-breaking when I visited him just before Christmas because he didn’t seem to know who I was.
“While we were chatting he told me his wife Marlene was out shopping and would be back soon — Marlene passed away more than a year ago.”
Last night boxing promoter Frank Warren and the British Boxing Board of Control paid tribute to Bugner.
Warren concluded: “Sad news to hear of the passing of Joe Bugner, former British, European and Commonwealth Champion, and a man who went the distance with both Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.
“A great man who will be missed. I’m sending my regards to his family. May he rest in peace.”
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