Two-time Ali challenger Bugner dies aged 75

Joe Bugner, a former heavyweight boxer, passed away at the age of 75.

Bugner was a three-time European heavyweight champion and twice held the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles.

In 1973, he faced Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in back-to-back fights, before reversing his fight with Ali in 1975.

The British Boxing Board of Control announced that Joe Bugner, a former heavyweight champion of the United Kingdom, European and Commonwealth champion, and world championship contender, passed away at his care home in Brisbane, Australia.

The family of Joe’s is incomprehensible, the British Boxing Board of Control says.

In the 1970s, Bugner was consistently ranked among the top ten heavyweights in the world for his technical prowess, toughness, durability, and willingness to fight the best.

After the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956, he and his family fled the country and eventually settled in the United Kingdom. Jozsef Kreul Bugner was born in Szoreg, Hungary, in 1950.

Bugner first started boxing as a teenager and quickly advanced to the amateur ranks, claiming the ABA light heavyweight title at age 17.

In 1971, Bugner won both the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles, and he also won a notable victory over Cooper at Wembley as a professional.

His fierceness was further strengthened by his fights with Ali and Frazier.

Ali and Bugner had better control of the fight in their first fight, but Bugner went the distance and won praise for his resilience.

In a gruesome match later that year, he faced Joe Frazier, who was ultimately stopped in the 12th round despite his bravery. In 1975, Bugner lost to Ali once more in points.

Throughout his career, Bugner has made a number of retirements. He made several comebacks in 1976 after hanging up the gloves for the first time.

In the middle of the 1980s, he relocated to Australia, where he continued to compete in the highest levels, including a defeat for Bruno, who had stopped him in the eighth round of 1987.

Bugner resigned after nearly eight years, winning the 1995 Australian heavyweight title.

He defeated James “Bonecrusher” Smith in the WBF heavyweight championship match in 1998 at the age of 48 before bowing out of boxing permanently in 1999 after being defeated by Levi Billups.