Muhammad Ali, Henry Cooper: The fights that made Joe Bugner a heavyweight legend
Bugner fought in four separate decades, racking up an impressive array of opponents. From Ali to Cooper, these are the foes that turned the Hungarian-born fighter into a legend
The boxing world has been left to mourn the loss of former heavyweight Joe Bugner, with the Hungarian-born British-Australian passing away aged 75.
Based in the UK at the start of his career, Bugner fought many notable names across the years, challenging top-rated contenders in multiple decades.
In a career that spanned 32 years and encompassed 69 wins, 13 losses, and one draw, here are the fights that made Bugner into a respected name in the sweet science.
Joe Bugner vs Brian London - May 1970
Alongside Henry Cooper, London was one of Britain’s boxing stars during the 1950s and 1960s, forming a quartet with Welsh duo Joe Erskine and Dick Richardson.
Another Brit to have fought – and lost – to Muhammad Ali, London was well on his way to retirement in 1970 when he fought Bugner.
He was winless in five straight bouts leading up to the fight, his best result a draw with American Henry Clark, whilst youngster Bugner was months out from his win over Ramos, a former world title contender.
Bugner was unable to knock down his opponent despite dominating the contest, but quickly the damage he was dishing out added up. The referee stepped in, put a shoulder around London and escorted him to a neutral corner. With the fight called off in the fifth, London announced his retirement after being beaten by the next generation of heavyweight in Britain.
Joe Bugner vs Henry Cooper - March 1971
It was Bugner’s performance over Henry Cooper that helped secure a later fight with Ali. Active since the mid 1950s, Cooper was past the peak of his powers, having himself once challenged Ali in 1966. Unsuccessful in claiming a world title, Cooper entered the 1970s as Commonwealth, European, and British champion at heavyweight, albeit dropping and winning certain belts back.
Bugner had just turned 21, having made a name for himself in British boxing with 31 wins from 36 bouts. With names like Manuel Ramos and Chuck Wepner under his belt, there was promise, but Bugner still had to prove his potential.
There was a difference of 16 years and 23lbs between them, Bugner holding the advantage in both departments.
The pair produced a tight contest, although Bugner was seemingly in control in the final rounds. That was until he took his foot off the pedal in 14th, with Cooper coming on strong. Bugner’s manager entered the ring in the final break, slapping his fighter and reminding him that he was potentially throwing the fight away. A strong final round for the young challenger was enough to sway the referee, who scored it 73 ¾ to 73 ½ in favour of Bugner.
Boos replied to the referee’s decision being announced, with the Empire Pool crowd believing Cooper to have done enough to take the win.
Disappointed but accepting of the result, Cooper announced his retirement in the ring.
Joe Bugner vs Muhammad Ali 1 and 2 - February 1973 and July 1975
Bugner fought Ali on two occasions in professional boxing, losing by unanimous decision in 1973 and 1975.
In fact, Bugner would face Ali four times in the 1970s, sharing the ring with The Greatest in two non-scored exhibition bouts.
Only in the second bout were honours on the line, with Ali defending his WBA and WBC titles out in Kuala Lumpur. Attributed to the tropical heat, Bugner was nowhere near his best, opting to go on the defensive in the face of his opponent’s quality and the conditions they were fighting in.
The 1973 meeting in Las Vegas was a far more competitive affair, even if Ali was a clear winner. The widest score given by a judge was five rounds in favour of Ali; his counterparts said that the American had won by three rounds. Bugner earned praise for going the distance with the former champion of the world, a feat made more impressive by a cut over his left eye that appeared in the first round of the contest. Music stars Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr were ringside, whilst before the fight Bugner got into a spat with Elvis Presley.
Ali stated his belief that Bugner could be a world champion in the future, a prediction that did not prove correct, in the traditional sense. Having first met in 1969, Bugner and Ali would become friends, a relationship bolstered when they became neighbours in Beverly Hills. Ali would often turn to Bugner as a sparring partner for big fights.
Joe Bugner vs Joe Frazier - July 1973
Bugner’s return to boxing after losing his first fight against Ali was against a similar calibre of fighter – Joe Frazier. Having defeated Ali in 1971 to become undisputed world champion, Frazier subsequently lost to George Foreman in 1973.
The fight with Bugner would be a good benchmark to see where he stood against a former Ali opponent, with many expecting a straightforward win for Frazier.
Bugner had other plans, pushing Frazier all the way. The American managed to knock Bugner down in the 10th with a tremendous left hook, only for his opponent to get back to his feet and reply with shots that left Frazier wobbling as the bell rang.
Once again it would go to the scorecards, with the referee the only official scoring. He saw it at 59 ¼ to 58 ½ in favour of Frazier, the bout scored under the British system at the time that awarded five points for the winner of a round, and 4 ¾ for the loser. Whilst there were no cries of controversy, unlike Bugner’s win over Cooper, many felt that the unfancied fighter had produced the best performance of his career.
Joe Bugner vs Frank Bruno - October 1987
Neither the biggest name nor the finest performance of Bugner’s career, one family will certainly remember this 1987 contest. Matchroom promoter Barry Hearn’s first foray into boxing was to stage an event at Tottenham Hotspur’s White Hart Lane stadium.
Bugner’s controversial victory over Cooper had seen him painted as a villain in the eyes of the British public, an aspect Hearn played on in the build-up to the fight to sell tickets. Bugner certainly played his part, having called out Bruno for years, referring to the future world champion as a ‘C-level fighter’.
In the end, the bout earned £1,000,000 on the gate, establishing Hearn – and Matchroom – as a major player in boxing. A further 18 million watched on at home via ITV, seeing Bugner stopped in the eighth by a flurry of Bruno punches.
Hearn had promised the victor a shot at Mike Tyson, which would arrive in Bruno’s next fight two years later.
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