-the Joe Bugner thread-

[Brutu]

I came across something interesting in this chapter of a recently published book,Heavyweight Boxing in the 1970's by Joe Ryan(2013).
In a chapter on Muhammad Ali vs Bugner I,
It states that when Thad Spencer came over to London England
for a fight with Eduardo Corletti scheduled for April.30.1968,
at the Royal Albert Hall.
Thad Spencer was using Bugner as a sparring partner to get ready
but Bugner had injured an area around Spencer's eye during sparring and the fight had to be postponed.

pp 116-121.


http://www.books.google.com/books?id=i4 ... g=PA116&dq


The Spencer vs Corletti fight was rescheduled for May.28. 1968,but that fight was cancelled entirely when Corletti had sprained his ankle in training and then it became Thad Spencer vs Leotis Martin(Martin won TKO 9).

[Brutu]

I always though in the Paul Brown bout it
was one BIG lucky punch and then Bugner was out cold.
I wonder what Joe Ryan's source for that bit of info is?,
along with the info that Bugner had caused a cut on Thad Spencer during a sparring session in April 1968 in London.
It sounds a little like what Bugner had said in the one interview
when he said he was sparring with Jerry Quarry and cut him too
over the eye,post poning his fight or almost.
I wonder if over the years Bugner is confusing the two sparring sessions?
It said in the 1973 newspaper article that Bugner sparred with Quarry
in 1972,but in the interview he said he sparred with Quarry
when he was 19 years old which could only have been
early 1970 at the latest.

[Brutu]

here is a newspaper notice dated April.26. 1968,that confirms
the Spencer vs Corletti fight was post poned due to Spencer having been cut over his left eye in training sessions.no mention of his name but no doubt it was Joe Bugner who had done it.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pQ ... 2177090&dq

[Brutu]

Another of of Joe Bugner's(apparently)"lost"fight films
would seem to be
Joe Bugner vs Mike Boswell(WUD 10)
This was Bugner's American ring debut and 38th professional fight ,
It was the undercard of
Muhammad Ali vs Buster Mathis 17.November.1971
at the Houston Astrodome.Reportedly it was at least part of the UK
closed-circuit broadcast of Ali vs Mathis,(were there is about a 8 hours time difference).
Bugner entered the ring with some 9 kilted bag-pipe players and three drummers heralding his arrival(all Texans I believe).

http://www.news.google.com/newspapers?i ... 1053454&dq

(scroll up the page to see a really cool ring action photo of Ali and Mathis,
you would think it was Earnie Shaver's landing that
right hand.)

[Brutu]

and he had had 83 professional fights.
I wonder how many punches he had taken just from those fights over the years, not including all the sparring he had done too.

[Brutu]

From what I understand for publicity purposes THE DAILY MIRROR had offered Muhammad Ali 10 thousand American dollars to spar 6 rounds with Joe Bugner at Gil Clancey's Gym on Fifth Avenue NYC.
(According to Joe Bugner in the interviews he has given over that last few years)
There were a lot of journalist there to cover it,so why hasn't any photos or film turned up from there?.
No doubt the Daily Mirror had sponsored Bugner's American tour of America in 1970,
this particular photo was taken at the Fifth Street gym in Miami July 1970


http://www.mirrorpix.com/webgate/previe ... D=00130097

Joe Bugner in an earlier interview had said that when he was training
at a gym in NYC,Sonny Liston had approached him and asked him to spar with him.Most likely that was in early June as he and Muhammad Ali
attened the Liston-Wepner fight.
I wonder if actually it was at the Fifth Street Gym in Miami Florida
that the Daily Mirror paid Muhammad Ali to spar with Bugner
and it was at Clancey's Gym in NYC that Bugner had spared with liston?

[Brutu]

I think this photo of Joe Bugner with Muhammad Ali may have also been taken when Bugner visited
the Fifth Street Gym in Miami July 1970

http://www.mirrorpix.com/webgate/previe ... D=00129647

[Brutu]

This one photo definately was taken in July 1970 at the Fifth Street Gym



http://www.mirrorpix.com/webgate/previe ... D=00129754

[Brutu]

Here is an interesting BBC radio interview with Joe Bugner
that aired 09.June.1973
This short 12 minute audio clip is all that is known to exist of the entire interview.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00x1q8w

This radio interview of Joe Bugner was broadcast 40 years ago today

[Brutu]

link to an article from 25.May.1987 issue of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED.
(4 pages)


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/ ... /index.htm

[Brutu]

Here is Joe Bugner with a public service message.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmMno_TSw0A

[Nile4000]

link to an article from 25.May.1987 issue of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED.
(4 pages)


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/ ... /index.htm

Nice article. I had forgotten that Bugner was due to meet Mike Weaver back in '87 before he fought Greg Page. I don't know why the Weaver fight didn't happen but I think beating Page (who he fought instead) was a pretty good win for that stage in Bugner's career. Yes, I know Page was past his best by then but so was Bugner, and I think Page had been WBA champion only two years earlier. I seem to remember Bugner doing a bit of a number on Page in the closing rounds. Pity he wasn't more motivated earlier in his career.

I've always thought Bugner did pretty well in that first 'Aussie Joe' comeback. Quick Tillis was a very credible opponent for a first comeback fight and beating David Bey was OK too.

Any version of Greg Page after 1985 was a joke.Same thing with post-1983 version of Quick Tillis.

[Brutu]

link to an article from 25.May.1987 issue of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED.
(4 pages)


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/ ... /index.htm

Nice article. I had forgotten that Bugner was due to meet Mike Weaver back in '87 before he fought Greg Page. I don't know why the Weaver fight didn't happen but I think beating Page (who he fought instead) was a pretty good win for that stage in Bugner's career. Yes, I know Page was past his best by then but so was Bugner, and I think Page had been WBA champion only two years earlier. I seem to remember Bugner doing a bit of a number on Page in the closing rounds. Pity he wasn't more motivated earlier in his career.

I've always thought Bugner did pretty well in that first 'Aussie Joe' comeback. Quick Tillis was a very credible opponent for a first comeback fight and beating David Bey was OK too.

Any version of Greg Page after 1985 was a joke.Same thing with post-1983 version of Quick Tillis.

well if they weren't before they certainly were after Bugner Biffed 'em.

[Nile4000]

^The Tillis of that time froma was a trialhorse, nothing more, nothing less.He was a credible opponent for Joe, however, it just pains me to see him lose to him.Page, after that fight, should've retired for good.

[Caractacus]

Just thought to bump it up again
out of recent interest on Joe Bugner here.

[Caractacus]

Yes,as mentioned previously.
We can probably thank Joe Bugner
for some of those awful title defenses
that Muhammad Ali had
such as Richard Dunn and Jean Pierre Coopman.
Bugner should have defenfed his European Heavyweight Championship from them
and spared us.

[Caractacus]

Most likely Joe Bugner had sparred with Jerry Quarry when Quarry was in London preparing to fight Larry Middleton in May of 1972.
Bugner fought on the same card earlier that evening against Marc Hans.

[ClivePatrickLyons]

Aussie JOE was a great surviver was probably underrated....... I wish he would have became a boxing trainer in Australia the knowledge this
bloke must have would be second too none.................. it's not too late Aussie JOE

[Caractacus]

When Billy Wells represented Great Britain at the 1968 Olymoics in Mexico City,
Wells lost in the First Rounds by TKO-3 by Ionas Chepulis(URS).

Do you think Joe Bugner could have done better?

[Caractacus]

check out this 2014 interview with Joe Bugner

http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/3304 ... joe-bugner

(perhaps they should have also asked him about the runners up too)

[Caractacus]

check out this 2014 interview with Joe Bugner

http://ringtv.craveonline.com/news/3304 ... joe-bugner

(perhaps they should have balanced it out also asked him about the runners up too)

You know perhaps ring magazine should consider asking these same boxers about
the "Worst they had ever faced"
That should be fun to read for kicks and giggles.
Its still boxing history.

[revporl]

I remember him mostly for his fights in the 80's, he aquitted himself pretty well, I felt he was robbed against Tangsted and Frazier Jr.
Astonishing that he was fighting up until 1999

[Caractacus]

Wanna see a photo or two of Joe Bugner with Rocky Marciano?
May 1969.
(presumably Rocky was visiting England?)

http://www.mirrorpix.com/webgate/previe ... D=00128335

http://www.mirrorpix.com/webgate/previe ... D=00128301

Excellent. Never seen those before, thanks.

Well, it use to be there anyway.

[evrenb]

Just been watching highlights of Joe's 2nd match with Dante Cane and it seemed like a wild and heated affair. Bedlam in the ring and the audience. Looks like cane and his followers were accusing Bugner of using his nut to cause the cuts...l Joe Bugner had a very hard career with nights and fights like this, long forgotten.

[Caractacus]

dude,do you think that could you provide the link so we can all watch it ?(please).