BoxRec

As far as Joe Bugner's amateur days.
(as much as I could peice together so far)
He first put on the boxing gloves at age 15 in 1965
and fought at least one amateur bout under an assumed name "John Ford".
The other boxer besides Billy Wells who had defeated Bugner in the amateurs
was John Cullen,who reportedly had knocked Bugner out in the amateurs.
John Cullen was almost 4 years older then Bugner,so if they had fought in early 1967
(although since I dont have a compleat list of all Bugner's 17 amateur fights its possible it may have been in 1966)
it would have been a 21 year old man fighting a 17 year old youth.
As Bugner was given permission to fight outside the novice category due to his size.
Bugner's last amateur fight in 1967 before turning pro ,was when he was represented "Young England"
and he knocked out a German in round Two.
John Cullen would later turn pro and reportedly was one of Bugner's early sparrng partners.
Im not sure where it was that Cullen had fought Bugner in the amateurs,
possibly it may have been at the Maple Ballroom at Northampton were John Cullen became a bouncer when it was renamed the
Shades on old Bridge Road in 1969.
Here is John Cullen's pro record.
http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer

Bugner vs Baruzzi newspaper accounts.

(pre-fight info)

http://www.news.google.com/newspapers?i ... 6902354&dq


(fight results)

http://www.news.google.com/newspapers?i ... 6927641&dq

the fight poster of Bugner vs Ellis.

http://static.boxrec.com/wiki/5/52/BugnerEllis.jpg

fight results of Bugner vs Ellis.
12.November.1974

http://www.news.google.com/newspapers?i ... 2512861&dq



(scroll up from article to see ring action photo)

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=T2 ... 3603740&dq

Here is a link to an article about Joe Bugner's career from a newspaper published in Kuala Lumpor,Malayasia.
The New Strait Times 27.June.1975.
It is the most in-depth article I have seen so far about Joe Bugner early boxing start anyway,
it also mentions his loss to John Cullen in the amateurs among other things.
it also has in it a rare (but blurry) action photo of Bugner vs Irish Tony Doyle.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5Y ... 8117845&dq


Also in that newspaper addition are a number of other articles about Muhammad Ali
and the upcoming bout.

An interesting bit of info that I read in a newspaper article somewhere.
Originally Ali vs Bugner II for the heavyweight championship of the world,
was scheduled to take place in at Soldier's Field Chicago Illinois 08.June.1975.
But when they bumped the Ron Lyle fight up to May,
a second site for Ali vs Bugner II was proposed at the
Stamford Bridge Stadium in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and home of the Chelsea Soccer Club
however of course at some point they finally decided the fight would take place in July in Southeast Asia in Malayasia.

Joe Bugner vs Alberto Lovell
03.December.1974
(Bugner's 57th pro fight)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZNUrHpnI34

(Pedro Lovell was late substitute for Boone Kirkman,
its too bad Bugner didn't look nearly as sharp re-acting to Muhammad Ali here as he appeared later on in Malayasia at the conclusion of this bout).

here is a link to a ring action photo)

http://i19.tinypic.com/4g840v9.jpg

several days before the fight with Pedro Lovell,(who flew in from Madrid Spain about a day before the fight).

http://www.news.google.com/newspapers?i ... ,187895&dq

Newspaper fight results Bugner vs Cane II


http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DN ... ,227352&dq

(scroll up for ring action photo of Bugner vs Cane II)

http://www.news.google.com/newspapers?i ... ,232082&dq

here is a pretty good undated ca. 1972 posed photo of Joe Bugner as the European Heavyweight Champion.
(scroll down to see larger image)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Press-Photo-Joe ... 5aee0e7262

here is another newspaper article from 03. March.1975 concerning the Bugner vs Cane II bout,
with Cane saying Bugner had butted him,and Bugner claiming Cane tried to incite the Italian fans there,
also another ring action photo at the top of page.


http://www.news.google.com/newspapers?i ... ,396866&dq

Welcome to America!

http://mirrorpix.com/webgate/preview.ph ... D=00328137


Las Vegas!Yeah Baby!!!

http://mirrorpix.com/webgate/preview.ph ... D=00328134



The Las Vegas Convention Centre

http://mirrorpix.com/webgate/preview.ph ... D=00328139

John Conteh,John H.Stracey and Joe Bugner aka
"The Liquidators"

http://www.mirrorpix.com/webgate/previe ... D=00326698



The Caesar's Palace Parking lot February 1973.

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news- ... /136886841

The Closed-Circuit Poster

http://collectboxing.com/shop/?wpsc-pro ... oster-1973

"It was Forty years ago Today"

Muhammad Ali vs Joe Bugner
14.February.1973
The Convention Centre,Las Vegas Nevada

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrPv4daLsGo

Muhammad Ali had predicted before the fight that in round seven
"I'll send him to Heaven".
However in round seven Muhammad Ali later admitted in thepost-fight press conference.
That Bugner had hit him with a good right hand when he was coming in,
that made Ali "semi-unconcious" for a moment.
and that Ali had "heard bells".

http://www.news.google.com/newspapers?i ... 3176142&dq

"From all over the world,
they send their best.
"To Battle Ali for the ultimate test.
"Now merry old England
is sending her hero.
"Big Joe Bugner,
whose chances are Zero".

(poem by Muhammad Ali,February 11.1973)

-----Tale of the Tape-------
February 1973
Las Vegas ,Nevada,USA

--Joe Bugner--

age..... 22 years
weight....219 lbs
height.....6 ft 4
reach.....81 3/4 inches
chest(normal)......45 1/2 inches
chest(expanded....48 inches
bicep.........16 inches
forearm.....14 inches
waist........34 inches
thigh.....25 inches
calf......16 inches
wrist.....8 1/2 inches
fist....13 inches
ankle...10 inches

----Muhammad Ali-----
age....31 years
weight...217 lbs
height... 6 ft 3
reach.....80 inches
chest(normal)...42 inches
chest(expanded...44 1/2 inches
bicep....15 inches
forearm....13 1/2 inches
waist.... 34 inches
thigh...26 inches
calf....17 inches
wrist....8 inches
fist.... 13 inches
ankle ... 91/2 inches

"Irish"Tony Doyle was one of Muhammad Ali's sparring partners
in Las Vegas for the 14.February 1973 bout.
The sparring partner's that Joe Bugner used in public workouts
at the Thunderbird hotel were Cleveland"Big Cat"Williams
and Dave Roden of London England.
Bugner still had some trouble adjusting to the time difference
a few days before the fight.

"In round seven,I'll send him to Heaven"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrPv4daLsGo

Joe Bugner had the boxing skills and a good chin, but he seemed to lack the heavy artillery to be champion. He reminds me of Luther McCarty the old time white hope champion.

Cap

article from 26.February.1973 issue of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
(2 pages)

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

here is an interesting photograph of Joe Bugner from June 1975.
As it looks reminicent of the photos of the
heavyweight fighters of the 1910's.

http://mirrorpix.com/webgate/preview.ph ... D=00112346

If only Joe Bugner did not retire and give up his European Championship belt
in January 1976,he perhaps may have spared us from having to see Muhammad Ali
having to defend his (undisbuted)World heavyweight title from
Richard Dunn and Jean-Pierre Coopman.