sturm vogel wrote: ↑31 Aug 2019, 23:05
JohnReed wrote: ↑31 Aug 2019, 20:53
I don't mean to be argumentative, but you are wrong about Bugner. The reality is that the prime Bugner was easily a higher class fighter than Hughie, possibly in every respect too. I'm talking about the 1973-1976 version of Bugner, especially the one who fought Ali and Frazier in 1973. Bugner's defensive skills, and hand/foot speed were no less good than Hughies. And Bugner's durability was far superior to Hughie's, I think.
Bugner's problem is that when he was put under serious pressure, he went into his defensive shell, and for some reason he stayed there. That's how he lost fights he should have won. Joe also had problems sustaining his offensive, possibly because he was a tad musclebound (that's what Henry Cooper said, at least). But Bugner's flaws weren't as bad as Hughie's.
I can't imagine a prime Bugner being made to feel vulnerable -- and put on the run -- by the likes of Parker and Pulev. Also, I'm certain that a prime Bugner would have used his left jab effectively enough to have outpointed the burned out, aged version of Povektin that Hughie "lost" to today.
eads like this Hughie Fury...
Bugner lost every time he stepped up to a higher level
-Not unlike this Hughie Fury...
But the big difference is that Bugner's losing efforts to Ali (first fight) and Frazier were top notch performances that established him as a legitimate, world-class contender. After the world saw those 1973 Bugner efforts, everyone knew that Joe was unquestionably one of the top eight heavies in the world. After the Frazier fight, some people even speculated that Bugner might be the world's fifth best heavyweight, right behind Ali, Foreman, Frazier, and Norton.
By contrast, Hughie's losing efforts confirm that he is merely a fringe contender. Not a legitimate world-class fighter in any way (as Bugner was). But rather, a top-20 or top-25 guy.
Therefore, no comparison between Bugner and Hughie.