Joe Bugner

[Flump]

Seems that Aussie Joe is not in the best of health according to Colin Hart.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/21333547 ... -dementia/

[deadpan]

That's very sad. A fine fighter despite the naysayers and an interesting bloke.

[MightyWarrior]

Damn….Joe had a great chin, not a good thing long term wise when you’re taking heavyweight bombs.

[big lennox]

That is a sad bit of news.

[tony1234]

Very sad news, always a fan of his and he talked his way into a big money fight with Bruno. He would have made a fortune if he had been around nowadays

[Jaguar]

Sad to hear. What a life though, it'd make a great film:

Never knew his father and fled Soviet invaders as a child refugee; champion athlete as a schoolboy; pro boxer at 17; British and European Champion at 21; in with Ali at 22 and Frazier at 23; fought for the world heavyweight title and then retired (for the first time) at 25. Umpteen comebacks, fought everybody and even won a version of a world title at pushing 50.

Acted in films; drove a Bentley; hung out with Tom Jones; told Elvis to fvck off; owned a vineyard; screwed 1000 women; lived in Hungary, Britain, America and Australia; earned and blew a fortune. Pity it has to end like it is.

[HomicideHenry]

I remember in the late 90s that he was still competing which was pretty remarkable beating the top men in Australia basically in his late 40s. I remember briefly for a time he was in negotiations to fight Butterbean after the king of the four rounders fought Larry Holmes.

[Old bones Ian]

It's sad that he has dementia but sounds as if he is being cared for really well, he's lived a hundred lives in his one life .
Done more than most can say, and that is mainly because of boxing

[Jaguar]

It's sad that he has dementia but sounds as if he is being cared for really well, he's lived a hundred lives in his one life .
Done more than most can say, and that is mainly because of boxing

This is true but I don't think Bugner would've been a boxer if he were a young man today.

Back in the 1960s when Bugner turned pro, boxing was one of the few sports where a working-class lad could make a good living in Britain. That or football really. Athletics, rugby, swimming and loads of other sports were just amateur endeavours. There are many more avenues for an big, powerful athlete like Bugner nowadays.

Joe Bugner was a AAA discus champion as a teenager and I suspect he'd have stayed with athletics had he been able to earn a living at it. They reckon Bugner was never really 'into' boxing but it was probably his only viable option at the time.

[forcefraser]

It's sad that he has dementia but sounds as if he is being cared for really well, he's lived a hundred lives in his one life .
Done more than most can say, and that is mainly because of boxing

This is true but I don't think Bugner would've been a boxer if he were a young man today.

Back in the 1960s when Bugner turned pro, boxing was one of the few sports where a working-class lad could make a good living in Britain. That or football really. Athletics, rugby, swimming and loads of other sports were just amateur endeavours. There are many more avenues for an big, powerful athlete like Bugner nowadays.

Joe Bugner was a AAA discus champion as a teenager and I suspect he'd have stayed with athletics had he been able to earn a living at it. They reckon Bugner was never really 'into' boxing but it was probably his only viable option at the time.

Not much money in discus I would have thought, especially back then

[Jaguar]

It's sad that he has dementia but sounds as if he is being cared for really well, he's lived a hundred lives in his one life .
Done more than most can say, and that is mainly because of boxing

This is true but I don't think Bugner would've been a boxer if he were a young man today.

Back in the 1960s when Bugner turned pro, boxing was one of the few sports where a working-class lad could make a good living in Britain. That or football really. Athletics, rugby, swimming and loads of other sports were just amateur endeavours. There are many more avenues for an big, powerful athlete like Bugner nowadays.

Joe Bugner was a AAA discus champion as a teenager and I suspect he'd have stayed with athletics had he been able to earn a living at it. They reckon Bugner was never really 'into' boxing but it was probably his only viable option at the time.

Not much money in discus I would have thought, especially back then

That's my point. You couldn't earn a living as a track and field athlete back then, whereas athletics is a professional sport nowadays, even if discus is not the most glamorous event. But you'd still earn a good living nowadays if you were an Olympic champion at discus. It wasn't even an option when Bugner was a kid.

[Old bones Ian]

It's sad that he has dementia but sounds as if he is being cared for really well, he's lived a hundred lives in his one life .
Done more than most can say, and that is mainly because of boxing

This is true but I don't think Bugner would've been a boxer if he were a young man today.

Back in the 1960s when Bugner turned pro, boxing was one of the few sports where a working-class lad could make a good living in Britain. That or football really. Athletics, rugby, swimming and loads of other sports were just amateur endeavours. There are many more avenues for an big, powerful athlete like Bugner nowadays.

Joe Bugner was a AAA discus champion as a teenager and I suspect he'd have stayed with athletics had he been able to earn a living at it. They reckon Bugner was never really 'into' boxing but it was probably his only viable option at the time.

We have the 2nd best hammer thrower in the UK on the Isle of Wight, name him?

My point was boxing was his life , and he lived a great one and hopefully is ok as you can be with dementia

[Jaguar]

It's sad that he has dementia but sounds as if he is being cared for really well, he's lived a hundred lives in his one life .
Done more than most can say, and that is mainly because of boxing

This is true but I don't think Bugner would've been a boxer if he were a young man today.

Back in the 1960s when Bugner turned pro, boxing was one of the few sports where a working-class lad could make a good living in Britain. That or football really. Athletics, rugby, swimming and loads of other sports were just amateur endeavours. There are many more avenues for an big, powerful athlete like Bugner nowadays.

Joe Bugner was a AAA discus champion as a teenager and I suspect he'd have stayed with athletics had he been able to earn a living at it. They reckon Bugner was never really 'into' boxing but it was probably his only viable option at the time.

We have the 2nd best hammer thrower in the UK on the Isle of Wight, name him?

My point was boxing was his life , and he lived a great one and hopefully is ok as you can be with dementia

I'm not sure what being the second best hammer thrower in the UK has to do with anything. I said you'd earn a good living if you were an Olympic champion discus thrower, as you would if you were a world-class track and field athlete in any other event. Whereas that simply wasn't possible when Bugner was young as athletics was an amateur sport.

Boxing was Joe Bugner's life, yes, although it's widely accepted that he never really liked the game. My point is that he'd have a lot more options nowadays and so probably wouldn't have been a pro boxer, he'd have done something else.

But, I agree, let's hope Bugner's living as good a life as he can under the circumstances he finds himself in.

[coneye]

Met Joe a few times , and can personaly say he was a real nice guy , seemed to have time and a chat for anyone , like i said a real nice person

[Old bones Ian]

This is true but I don't think Bugner would've been a boxer if he were a young man today.

Back in the 1960s when Bugner turned pro, boxing was one of the few sports where a working-class lad could make a good living in Britain. That or football really. Athletics, rugby, swimming and loads of other sports were just amateur endeavours. There are many more avenues for an big, powerful athlete like Bugner nowadays.

Joe Bugner was a AAA discus champion as a teenager and I suspect he'd have stayed with athletics had he been able to earn a living at it. They reckon Bugner was never really 'into' boxing but it was probably his only viable option at the time.

We have the 2nd best hammer thrower in the UK on the Isle of Wight, name him?

My point was boxing was his life , and he lived a great one and hopefully is ok as you can be with dementia

I'm not sure what being the second best hammer thrower in the UK has to do with anything. I said you'd earn a good living if you were an Olympic champion discus thrower, as you would if you were a world-class track and field athlete in any other event. Whereas that simply wasn't possible when Bugner was young as athletics was an amateur sport.

Boxing was Joe Bugner's life, yes, although it's widely accepted that he never really liked the game. My point is that he'd have a lot more options nowadays and so probably wouldn't have been a pro boxer, he'd have done something else.

But, I agree, let's hope Bugner's living as good a life as he can under the circumstances he finds himself in.

I don't know you started the fantasy of Joe not being a boxer nowadays, Joe is a boxer that's the facts.
I mean he could be a flower arranger in my mind as well.

[Jaguar]

Fantasy? Flower arranger? What are you on about?

My point is Bugner would have lots of other options nowadays, including athletics - which is hardly a fantasy as he was a AAA champion. Now, I suggest you alter your attitude. The threads meant to be about Joe Bugner not petty point scoring.

Maybe you're having a bad day, I dunno. But the attitude I don't need. Thanks.

[Old bones Ian]

Fantasy? Flower arranger? What are you on about?

My point is Bugner would have lots of other options nowadays, including athletics - which is hardly a fantasy as he was a AAA champion. Now, I suggest you alter your attitude. The threads meant to be about Joe Bugner not petty point scoring.

Maybe you're having a bad day, I dunno. But the attitude I don't need. Thanks.

My point being you are in fantasy you tool, ban me then you fxck wit.
Been here for years and it's all ended up as some kind of fantasy shite

[goose 5]

The story about Bugner and Elvis is a classic; Red West denied the whole thing but I suspect it's true.

[oogiebe]

Sad indeed, but as he is being taken care of and seemingly happy, perhaps not so sad at all.

Now I'll have to go watch a few of his best performances. Always viewed him as an underachiever.

[Jaguar]

Fantasy? Flower arranger? What are you on about?

My point is Bugner would have lots of other options nowadays, including athletics - which is hardly a fantasy as he was a AAA champion. Now, I suggest you alter your attitude. The threads meant to be about Joe Bugner not petty point scoring.

Maybe you're having a bad day, I dunno. But the attitude I don't need. Thanks.

My point being you are in fantasy you tool, ban me then you fxck wit.
Been here for years and it's all ended up as some kind of fantasy shite

Seriously, are you alright? The way you're carrying on is not normal.

[Boxerbeetle]

Always sad to read a story like this. I’m not old enough to remember Bugner in his prime, but well remember watching the tail end of career in the late 90s, particularly the Scott Welch and Bonecrusher Smith fights. Seemed an extremely affable guy.

[margaret thatcher]

great hair too

[wrighty]

It's sad that he has dementia but sounds as if he is being cared for really well, he's lived a hundred lives in his one life .
Done more than most can say, and that is mainly because of boxing

Didn't he own a vineyard? He did a lot. A life well lived

[Terminator666]

Yeah he had/has a vineyard in the Hunter valley

[wrighty]

I'm sad for him. He did a lot. 2 x European and british champ wasn't he? I remember watching his fights and it felt like he used to hold back, I Don't know if killing that fella early on did that?