Boxer Joe Bugner
Dead at 75 …
Fought Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier
Published
Joe Bugner — a boxer who competed for more than three decades and squared off against some of the greatest to ever do it — has died.
The former fighter died at his home in Brisbane, Australia the British Boxing Board of Control announced in a statement Monday … sharing condolences with his family.
Bugner was born in Hungary but moved to England when he was six years old … and, he started boxing professionally in 1967 when he was just 17.
Bugner rose to become the British and European boxing champion by the early 1970s … and, though he lost 12-round decisions to both Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, his performances earned him respect from around the boxing world. He later fought and lost to Ali during a 1975 world championship bout.
Joe later made a career comeback in 1995 to win the Australian heavyweight title at the age of 45. He finished his career with a 69-13-1 … attaining 41 of those victories by knockout.
While perhaps most known for his time as a boxer, Bugner also boasted an impressive film résumé… including a part in the Jean-Claude Van Damme classic “Street Fighter” and a series of Italian movies with Bud Spencer.
Joe was 75.
RIP