Best Aussie Heavyweights of All time

[coneye]

If he's allowed in Joe Bugner number 1 by a mile , . If he's not allowed in theres a good argument Thunder , Meeham and any other islanders and /or kiwis should'nt be in ,, does,nt leave much does it

[Cap]

Well, Bugner became a naturalized Australian citizen in 1986, so he's like Bob Fitzsimmons in the sense that both England and Australia can claim him as one of their own. Just like Canada can claim Lennox Lewis. Bugner revived his career after emigrating to OZ and did pretty well against what was available, before retiring again. So, despite being remembered by most as being British (Hungarian), he would have to be included when listing the Best Aussie Heavyweights of All Time.

[Ambling Alp II]

Again, Peter Jackson has to be right up there.

[Cap]

Yeah. Peter Jackson, based on his impact on boxing's golden age alone, has to be listed in the top ten.

[Brute]

Years ago we used to claim Bob Fitsimmons as one of ours

Ruby Bob Fitzsimmons learned to fight in Sydney. The English claimed him but he left England as a child and never returned. He grew up in New Zealand. He only weighed 75kgs but beat Jim Corbett who had beaten John L Sullivan.

[bollocks]

Years ago we used to claim Bob Fitsimmons as one of ours

Ruby Bob Fitzsimmons learned to fight in Sydney. The English claimed him but he left England as a child and never returned. He grew up in New Zealand. He only weighed 75kgs but beat Jim Corbett who had beaten John L Sullivan.

And like all good Kiwi things, we claimed him as ours. But that doesn't make it so

[Cap]

Yeah. Back in the day boxers fought for the Australasian heavyweight title, the championship of Australia and New Zealand. Too bad no one bothered to film some of those early bruisers, aside from Bill Lang the Melbourne lad. Seems like horse racing and football were way more popular, though big fights did get coverage in the newspapers.

[Brute]

Years ago we used to claim Bob Fitsimmons as one of ours

Fitzsimmons started his professional boxing career in Australia. He left England as a child and never returned there to fight.
He grew up in New Zealand.

[margaret thatcher]

think of all the great international fighters we'd have to count as american just because they based their careers there

[Joson]

Well, Bugner became a naturalized Australian citizen in 1986, so he's like Bob Fitzsimmons in the sense that both England and Australia can claim him as one of their own. Just like Canada can claim Lennox Lewis. Bugner revived his career after emigrating to OZ and did pretty well against what was available, before retiring again. So, despite being remembered by most as being British (Hungarian), he would have to be included when listing the Best Aussie Heavyweights of All Time.

Bugner's 1986-87 comeback was a very pleasant surprise for his fans. That's because the fighters he beat, James Tillis, David Bey, and Greg Page, were still ranked in the worldwide top-20.

I don't know who was financing Joe's comeback at the time. But after those three victories, he was rated anywhere from 11th to 15th worldwide. Had Bugner's handlers given him a couple more easy tune-ups, he would have had a top-ten rating again. Easily.

I guess Bugner just didn't have much promotional money behind him at that stage of his career.

[Fray Bentos]

Bugner was rated in the WBC top ten in 1987, there was loose talk at the time of bringing Mike Tyson to Australia to face him.

[Joson]

Bugner was rated in the WBC top ten in 1987, there was loose talk at the time of bringing Mike Tyson to Australia to face him.

I didn't realize that the WBC rated Bugner in 1987. But I do recall Ring Magazine rating Joe at 13th worldwide that year. I also remember the talk about making Joe vs Tyson, or Joe vs Spinks.

Other names floated as Bugner opponents in 1987 were Mike Weaver and Trevor Berbick. For some reason the Weaver bout fell through. Berbick was quoted in the papers as saying he didn't want to fight Bugner because "that guy can really take a punch."

At age 37, Bugner was much slower and bulkier than he had been ten years earlier, while in his prime. But he could still fight, no doubt. Based on Joe's wins over Page, Tillis, and Bey, I gave him an good chance of beating Weaver and Berbick, both of whom were aging and starting to lose their edge.

[Jaguar]

Bugner was rated in the WBC top ten in 1987, there was loose talk at the time of bringing Mike Tyson to Australia to face him.

I didn't realize that the WBC rated Bugner in 1987. But I do recall Ring Magazine rating Joe at 13th worldwide that year. I also remember the talk about making Joe vs Tyson, or Joe vs Spinks.

Other names floated as Bugner opponents in 1987 were Mike Weaver and Trevor Berbick. For some reason the Weaver bout fell through. Berbick was quoted in the papers as saying he didn't want to fight Bugner because "that guy can really take a punch."

At age 37, Bugner was much slower and bulkier than he had been ten years earlier, while in his prime. But he could still fight, no doubt. Based on Joe's wins over Page, Tillis, and Bey, I gave him an good chance of beating Weaver and Berbick, both of whom were aging and starting to lose their edge.

Bugner's first incarnation as Aussie Joe was promoted by Bill Mordey, I'm not sure who was backing him in the 1990s though, maybe Modey still. I dunno.

I think the plan was for Bugner to fight Weaver after Bey but that fell through and they got Page in instead instead. The Bugner v Tyson thing was meant to take place at the America's Cup in '87, but I don't think it was ever going to happen - which is a good job really because Aussie Joe v a 21-year-old Tyson wouldn't have been pretty.