József Kreul Bugner (born 13 March 1950) is a Hungarian born
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
heavyweight
Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling.
Boxing Professional
Male boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 2 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation an ...
citizen
Citizenship is a membership and allegiance to a sovereign state.
Though citizenship is often conflated with nationality in today's English-speaking world, international law does not usually use the term ''citizenship'' to refer to nationality ...
of
Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
and the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. He unsuccessfully challenged
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...
Szeged
Szeged ( , ; see also #Etymology, other alternative names) is List of cities and towns of Hungary#Largest cities in Hungary, the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county seat ...
in southern Hungary, Bugner and his family fled after the 1956 Soviet invasion and settled in Britain. Standing at with a prime weight of , Bugner twice held the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
and
British Commonwealth
The Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the British Commonwealth or simply the Commonwealth, is an international association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire
The B ...
heavyweight titles and was a three-time European heavyweight champion. He was ranked among the world's top ten heavyweights of the 1970s, fighting such opponents as
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...
,
Joe Frazier
Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944November 7, 2011) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. Nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He was known for ...
Henry Cooper
Sir Henry Cooper (3 May 19341 May 2011) was a British heavyweight boxer. He was undefeated in British and Commonwealth heavyweight championship contests for twelve years and held the European heavyweight title for three years. In a 1963 fi ...
The Telegraph
''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are often names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include:
Australia
* The Telegraph (Adelaide), ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaid ...
also ranked him among the top ten British heavyweight boxers of all time.
Bugner retired from boxing in 1976 but made sporadic comebacks over the next two decades with varying success. He moved to Australia in 1986, adopting the nickname "Aussie Joe," beating fighters such as Greg Page, David Bey, Anders Eklund and James Tillis before retiring again after a TKO loss to Frank Bruno in 1987. He made a final comeback during the 1990s, winning the Australian heavyweight title in 1995 and the lightly regarded World Boxing Federation (WBF) heavyweight championship in 1998 at the age of 48 against James "Bonecrusher" Smith. He retired for the last time in 1999 with a final record of 69–13–1, including 43 wins by knockout.
Early years
Bugner and his family fled to the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
in the late 1950s because of the Soviet Union's invasion of Hungary in 1956 after the Hungarian Uprising of that year. Initially, he was one of about 80 refugees housed in the students' Hostel at Smedley's factory in
Wisbech
Wisbech ( ) is a market town, inland port and civil parish in the Fenland District, Fenland district in Cambridgeshire, England. In 2011 it had a population of 31,573. The town lies in the far north-east of Cambridgeshire, bordering Norfolk and ...
. They settled in the
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire (; abbreviated Hunts) is a local government district in Cambridgeshire, England, which was historically a county in its own right. It borders Peterborough to the north, Fenland to the north-east, East Cambridgeshire to the e ...
town of St Ives near the Fens. So, as local custom dictated, he was known as a Fen Tiger. Bugner excelled in sports at school and was the national junior discus champion in 1964. He lived and trained in
Bedford
Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population was 106,940. Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire and seat of the Borough of Bedford local government district.
Bedford was founded at a ford (crossin ...
during his early boxing years; he was a regular at Bedford Boys Club under the training of Paul King and attended Goldington Road School in Bedford.
Boxing career
1960s
Throughout his brief amateur career, Bugner competed sixteen times, winning thirteen matches. On the recommendation of his then-trainer and buddy, Andy Smith, he became a professional in 1967 (at the very young age of 17). Smith was unhappy with the choice of Bugner's opponents and believed that he could better control the quality of his opponents if Bugner turned professional. He had a losing debut against Paul Brown on 20 December 1967 at the London Hilton, where he suffered a TKO in the third round. Showing gritty determination after his debut, the teenage Bugner went on to win a remarkable 18 consecutive fights in under two years during 1968 and 1969 (including 13 stoppage victories) before narrowly losing to the older and vastly more experienced Dick Hall. He bounced back and rounded off the 1960s with three further stoppage victories.
1970s
In 1970 Bugner emerged internationally as an outstanding young prospect and was world-rated by the end of the year. He won nine consecutive bouts that year, including victories over well-known boxers such as Chuck Wepner, Manuel Ramos, Johnny Prescott, Brian London, Eduardo Corletti, Charley Polite, and George Johnson.
Bugner was now positioned to challenge world-rated Englishman
Henry Cooper
Sir Henry Cooper (3 May 19341 May 2011) was a British heavyweight boxer. He was undefeated in British and Commonwealth heavyweight championship contests for twelve years and held the European heavyweight title for three years. In a 1963 fi ...
, who had nearly knocked out
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...
a few years previously, for Cooper's
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
,
British Commonwealth
The Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the British Commonwealth or simply the Commonwealth, is an international association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire
The B ...
and
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
an titles. However, because Bugner was still too young to fight for the British Commonwealth title (the minimum age was twenty-one years old at the time), this much-anticipated bout had to be postponed until the following year. While waiting to come of age, in 1971, he defeated Carl Gizzi and drew with Bill Drover just weeks later and weeks before facing Cooper.
Bugner earned a reputation early in his professional years as a tough, durable but often exceptionally defensive and cautious boxer; he retained that image for the rest of his career. He was often criticised for lacking natural aggression in the ring. Some observers argued that Bugner's heart was never in boxing after an early opponent, Ulric Regis, died from brain injuries soon after being outpointed by Bugner at
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
's
Shoreditch Town Hall
Shoreditch Town Hall is an independent cultural, live events and community space in Shoreditch, London. The building, which previously served as the headquarters of the Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch, is a Grade II listed building.
History ...
. Many said that Bugner never punched his full weight after that.
Defeat of Henry Cooper
In March 1971, Bugner met veteran Cooper and won a fifteen-round decision. Bugner won the bout by the slimmest of margins, 1/4 point, on the card of the lone official, Harry Gibbs. The British sporting public and press were deeply divided about the verdict. Many felt that Cooper deserved the decision due to his steady aggression. But Bugner fought effectively on the defence and often scored with his left jab, and in the opinion of many, was the rightful winner of the bout. ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'', among others, scored the fight in favour of Bugner. Still, the outcome of the bout is regarded as one of the most controversial in British boxing history.
Nonetheless, Bugner was now the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
, British Commonwealth, and European champion, and for the first time, he was ranked among the world's top ten heavyweights. Bugner would remain in the world ratings for most of the 1970s.
Bugner retained his European title with a decision over tough German heavyweight Jürgen Blin. However, later in 1971, Bugner surprisingly lost decisions to underdogs
Jack Bodell
Jack Bodell (11 August 1940 – 9 November 2016) was an English professional boxer who competed in the heavyweight division.
Boxing career
Born in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, Bodell started out as a light heavyweight, winning the 1961 ABA cham ...
and Larry Middleton; sandwiched between these losses was a victory over Mike Boswell. The Bodell fight was particularly costly, depriving Bugner of his British, British Commonwealth and European championships. Bugner's relative inexperience, his youth and lack of an extensive amateur background were the chief causes of these defeats.
In 1972 Bugner won eight consecutive fights, including a knockout over Jürgen Blin for the European championship. By the end of this, Bugner demonstrated much-improved ring ability and acquired enough experience that his manager began seeking matches against the world's best heavyweights.
Prime years
Bugner began 1973 by retaining his European belt with a victory over the capable Dutchman Rudie Lubbers. The 23-year-old Bugner then lost twelve-round decisions to
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...
and
Joe Frazier
Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944November 7, 2011) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. Nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He was known for ...
. Despite being clearly defeated, Bugner fought well and won the respect of the boxing media and the public alike. After their bout, Ali declared that Bugner was capable of being world champion. Ali's trainer Angelo Dundee later echoed that sentiment. The fight with Frazier in July 1973 at Earls Court in London was deemed a classic. After being knocked down by a tremendous left hook in the tenth round, Bugner arose and staggered Frazier to close the round. Frazier took the decision, but only narrowly, and arguably only
George Foreman
George Edward Foreman (January 10, 1949 – March 21, 2025) was an American professional boxer, businessman, minister, and author. In boxing, he competed between 1967 and 1997, and was nicknamed "Big George". He was a two-time world heavyweig ...
and Muhammad Ali ever gave Frazier a harder fight. Many regard the Frazier bout as being Bugner's best career performance.
After the Ali and Frazier fights, Bugner won eight bouts in a row, his most notable victories being over ex-WBA world heavyweight champion Jimmy Ellis, and Mac Foster. By the end of 1974, Bugner was rated among the top five heavyweight contenders in the world.
Bugner challenged Muhammad Ali for the world championship in June 1975, the bout being held in
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...
, with Ali winning a relatively one-sided fifteen-round decision. Bugner performed fairly well but maintained a strictly defensive posture throughout most of the fight, perhaps due to the blistering tropical heat, and as a result, he was widely scorned by the media and public. In an interview during an April 2008 reunion with Henry Cooper, Bugner defended his tactics in the Ali fight as having been necessary due to the extreme temperature and humidity of the outside venue.
Regains British, European & Commonwealth titles
Early in 1976, Bugner announced his retirement from boxing, stating that he no longer felt motivated to fight professionally. Within months however he returned to the ring, expressing disgust at Richard Dunn's performance against Ali and in October, he blasted out Richard Dunn in the first round to reclaim the British, British Commonwealth and European championships. Onlookers state that they had never seen Bugner angry before and that while Dunn's supporters had waged a quite unsportsmanlike campaign against Bugner, if he had fought like that in his earlier career, he could have gone further.
In 1977, Bugner lost a close twelve-round decision away from home to top contender Ron Lyle. The scores were 57–53 and 56–54 for Lyle against 55–54 for Bugner. After this bout, Bugner again retired, making only sporadic comebacks to the ring over the next decades.
1980s
Bugner returned to the ring for brief periods in the 1980s and 1990s but was never as effective as he had been during his prime due to his age and inactivity.
After a three-year absence from the ring, Bugner returned in May 1980, knocking out fringe contender Gilberto Acuna, before promptly retiring again. In 1982, a ring-rusty Bugner (having had only one short fight in five years and weighing in some 25 lbs above his prime fighting weight) fought the hard-hitting top contender Earnie Shavers, but was stopped in the second round due to a badly cut eye. However, Bugner decided to continue his comeback, stopping the useful John Denis and fringe contender Danny Sutton, as well as domestic contenders Winston Allen and Eddie Neilson. In 1983, a subdued and unmotivated Bugner lost to Marvis Frazier, showing little ambition throughout the bout. He followed this with a decision over future European champion Anders Eklund and a controversial loss to future world title challenger Steffen Tangstad. Bugner appeared to have done enough to win the Tangstad fight, however, like with the Frazier and Eklund bouts, he appeared unmotivated and uninterested throughout.
Comeback in Australia
In 1986 Bugner moved to
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, where he adopted the nickname ''Aussie Joe'' after becoming an Australian citizen. In Australia, Bugner launched a fairly successful comeback, earning good victories over world title contenders James Tillis and David Bey and an impressive victory over former WBA heavyweight champion Greg Page, gaining a world ranking in the process, after which he spoke of challenging reigning heavyweight champion
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1985 and 2024. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "the Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson i ...
. However, there was great clamour for a fight with fellow Briton Frank Bruno. The bout was touted as the biggest all-British heavyweight bout since Cooper Vs Bugner in 1971. The bout took place on 24 October 1987, and Bugner suffered an eighth-round TKO loss to the much younger and fresher world title contender for the Commonwealth championship in front of a huge crowd at
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane was a Association football, football stadium in Tottenham, North London and the home of Tottenham Hotspur F.C., Tottenham Hotspur Football Club from 1899 to 2017. Its capacity varied over the years; when changed to all-seater i ...
football stadium. Bugner promptly retired again following this defeat, only his third stoppage defeat in 20 years.
1990s
Inspired by the 45-year-old
George Foreman
George Edward Foreman (January 10, 1949 – March 21, 2025) was an American professional boxer, businessman, minister, and author. In boxing, he competed between 1967 and 1997, and was nicknamed "Big George". He was a two-time world heavyweig ...
's recapture of the heavyweight title, Bugner made a final comeback in 1995, beating Vince Cervi to win the Australian heavyweight title, followed by a win over West Turner. Bugner then fought fellow Briton and world title contender Scott Welch for the WBO Intercontinental Heavyweight Title. Welch proved too young and fresh for the now 46-year-old Bugner, handing him a TKO defeat in the 6th round.
Bugner continued to fight on against far younger opponents. In 1996 he defeated the respectable Young Haumona for the Pacific and Australasian Heavyweight title, retained it against Waisiki Ligaloa in 1997, added the Australian title by defeating the tough Colin Wilson and defending both titles against Bob Mirovic in 1998.
In 1998 Bugner's long-term tenacity finally gave him a world crown, albeit a lightly regarded title - the WBF version of the heavyweight crown - by defeating former WBA World Heavyweight Champion James "Bonecrusher" Smith. At the age of 48 years and 110 days, it made him the oldest ever boxer to hold a minor championship belt.
Bugner fought just once more. In June 1999, at the age of 49, he defeated the durable fringe contender Levi Billups, who was disqualified for low blows.
Fight record
His record for 83 professional fights is 69 wins (41 on knockouts), 13 Losses and 1 Draw.
In an interview in 2004, Bugner said that the hardest puncher he had ever faced was Earnie Shavers and the biggest beating he took was from Ron Lyle.
Life outside boxing
After moving to Australia, Bugner and his wife, Marlene, opened a vineyard. It failed in 1989, and he lost an estimated two million
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar (currency sign, sign: $; ISO 4217, code: AUD; also abbreviated A$ or sometimes AU$ to distinguish it from other dollar, dollar-denominated currencies; and also referred to as the dollar or Aussie dollar) is the official ...
s. He now lives in Brisbane,
Queensland
Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
.
Bugner has worked in the
film industry
The film industry or motion picture industry comprises the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking, i.e., film production company, production companies, film studios, cinematography, animation, film production, screenwriting, pre- ...
. During the 1970s, he appeared in one of several PSAs themed ''Be Smart, Be Safe''; these dealt with instructing children on how to safely cross a road or a street. In 1979 Bugner featured in an Italian film, '' Io sto con gli ippopotami'' with Bud Spencer and
Terence Hill
Terence Hill (born Mario Girotti; 29 March 1939) is an Italian actor, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He began his career as a child actor and gained international fame for starring roles in action and comedy films, many with hi ...
, he worked with Bud Spencer in his films in the 1980s. He worked as the expert adviser on the Russell Crowe film, '' Cinderella Man'', which was a film about the heavyweight boxer James J. Braddock. Bugner was dropped part way through the project, which prompted him to call Crowe, "a gutless worm and a f*****g girl".
Bugner suffers from a serious back injury he sustained from training for fights in his middle years. He also has financial problems. These financial problems prompted him to re-enter the ring at such an advanced age. A benefit was held for Bugner in 2008 by Kevin Lueshing.
In November 2009, Bugner replaced Camilla Dallerup on day 4 of the British TV show '' I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!''. He left the show on day 16 after losing a bushtucker trial called 'Jungle Jail' to fellow celebrity Stuart Manning.
Bugner has three children, James, Joe Jr., and Amy, from his ex-wife Melody.
Bugner's
autobiography
An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...
{, class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
, -
!
!Result
!Record
!Opponent
!Type
!Round, time
!Date
!Location
!Notes
, -
, 83
, Win
, 69-13-1
, style="text-align:left;", Levi Billups
, DQ
, 9
, 13 Jun 1999
, align=left, Broadbeach, Australia
,
, -
, 82
, Win
, 68-13-1
, style="text-align:left;", James Smith
, TKO
, 1
, 4 Jul 1998
, align=left, Carrara, Australia
, style="text-align:left;",
, -
, 81
, Win
, 67-13-1
, style="text-align:left;", Bob Mirovic
, SD
, 12
, 20 Apr 1998
, align=left, Carrara, Australia
, style="text-align:left;",
, -
, 80
, Win
, 66-13-1
, style="text-align:left;", Colin Wilson
, UD
, 12
, 13 Jan 1998
, align=left, Broadbeach, Australia
, style="text-align:left;",
, -
, 79
, Win
, 65-13-1
, style="text-align:left;", Waisiki Ligaloa
, TKO
, 7
, 3 Jun 1997
, align=left, Southport, Australia
, style="text-align:left;",
, -
, 78
, Win
, 64-13-1
, style="text-align:left;", Young Haumona
, KO
, 5
, 5 Jul 1996
, align=left, Carrara, Australia
, style="text-align:left;",
, -
, 77
, Loss
, 63-13-1
, style="text-align:left;", Scott Welch
, TKO
, 6
, 16 Mar 1996
, align=left,
Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, -
, 76
, Win
, 63-12-1
, style="text-align:left;", West Turner
, KO
, 3
, 2 Feb 1996
, align=left,
Perth
Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
Carrara
Carrara ( ; ; , ) is a town and ''comune'' in Tuscany, in central Italy, of the province of Massa and Carrara, and notable for the white or blue-grey Carrara marble, marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some Boxing the compass, ...
, Australia
, style="text-align:left;",
, -
, 74
, Loss
, 61-12-1
, style="text-align:left;", Frank Bruno
, TKO
, 8
, 24 Oct 1987
, align=left,
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane was a Association football, football stadium in Tottenham, North London and the home of Tottenham Hotspur F.C., Tottenham Hotspur Football Club from 1899 to 2017. Its capacity varied over the years; when changed to all-seater i ...
, London
,
, -
, 73
, Win
, 61-11-1
, style="text-align:left;", Greg Page
, UD
, 10
, 24 Jul 1987
, align=left, Sydney, Australia
,
, -
, 72
, Win
, 60-11-1
, style="text-align:left;", David Bey
, UD
, 10
, 14 Nov 1986
, align=left, Sydney, Australia
,
, -
, 71
, Win
, 59-11-1
, style="text-align:left;", James Tillis
, PTS
, 10
, 15 Sep 1986
, align=left,
Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
Randers
Randers () is a city in Randers Municipality, Central Denmark Region on the Jutland peninsula. It is List of cities and towns in Denmark, Denmark's sixth-largest city, with a population of 64,511 ().Marvis Frazier
, UD
, 10
, 4 Jun 1983
, align=left, Atlantic City,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
Muswell Hill
Muswell Hill is a suburban district of the London Borough of Haringey, north London. The hill, which reaches over above sea level, is situated north of Charing Cross.
Neighbouring areas include Highgate, London, Highgate, Hampstead Garden ...
, London
,
, -
, 66
, Win
, 56-9-1
, style="text-align:left;", John Dino Denis
, TKO
, 3
, 16 Feb 1983
, align=left,
Wood Green
Wood Green is a suburban district of the London Borough of Haringey, London, England. Its postal district is N22, with parts in N8 or N15. The London Plan identifies it as one of the metropolitan centres in Greater London, and today it forms ...
, London
,
, -
, 65
, Win
, 55-9-1
, style="text-align:left;", Eddie Neilson
, TKO
, 5
, 9 Dec 1982
, align=left, Bloomsbury, London
,
, -
, 64
, Win
, 54-9-1
, style="text-align:left;", Winston Allen
, KO
, 3
, 28 Oct 1982
, align=left,
Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London, part of the London Borough of Camden in England. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural institution, cultural, intellectual, and educational ...
, London
,
, -
, 63
, Loss
, 53-9-1
, style="text-align:left;", Earnie Shavers
, TKO
, 2
, 8 May 1982
, align=left,
Reunion Arena
Reunion Arena was an indoor arena located in the Reunion, Dallas, Reunion district of downtown Dallas, Texas, United States. The arena served as the primary home of the National Hockey League's (NHL) Dallas Stars and the National Basketball Ass ...
,
Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
,
, -
, 62
, Win
, 53-8-1
, style="text-align:left;", Gilberto Acuna
, TKO
, 6
, 23 Aug 1980
, align=left, Inglewood, California
,
, -
, 61
, Loss
, 52-8-1
, style="text-align:left;", Ron Lyle
, SD
, 12
, 20 Mar 1977
, align=left, Caesars Palace,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...
,
, -
, 60
, Won
, 52-7-1
, style="text-align:left;", Richard Dunn
, KO
, 1
, 12 Oct 1976
, align=left, Wembley, London
, style="text-align:left;",
, -
, 59
, Loss
, 51-7-1
, style="text-align:left;",
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...
Merdeka Stadium
The Independence Stadium or Merdeka Stadium is a stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is known as the site of the formal declaration of independence of the Federation of Malaya on Independence Day (Malaysia), 31 August 1957. The stadium is also ...
,
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...
Bologna
Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...
,
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, -
, 57
, Win
, 50-6-1
, style="text-align:left;", Santiago Alberto Lovell
, TKO
, 2
, 3 Dec 1974
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 56
, Win
, 49-6-1
, style="text-align:left;", Jimmy Ellis
, PTS
, 10
, 12 Nov 1974
, align=left, Wembley, London
,
, -
, 55
, Win
, 48-6-1
, style="text-align:left;", Jose Luis Garcia
, KO
, 2
, 1 Oct 1974
, align=left, Wembley, London
,
, -
, 54
, Win
, 47-6-1
, style="text-align:left;", Piermario Baruzzi
, TKO
, 10
, 29 May 1974
, align=left,
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
,
Denmark
Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...
, style="text-align:left;",
, -
, 53
, Win
, 46-6-1
, style="text-align:left;", Pat Duncan
, PTS
, 10
, 12 Mar 1974
, align=left, Wembley, London
,
, -
, 52
, Win
, 45-6-1
, style="text-align:left;", Mac Foster
, PTS
, 10
, 13 Nov 1973
, align=left, Wembley, London
,
, -
, 51
, Win
, 44-6-1
, style="text-align:left;", Giuseppe Ros
, PTS
, 15
, 2 Oct 1973
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
, style="text-align:left;",
, -
, 50
, Loss
, 43-6-1
, style="text-align:left;",
Joe Frazier
Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944November 7, 2011) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1965 to 1981. Nicknamed "Smokin' Joe", he is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He was known for ...
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...
,
, -
, 48
, Win
, 43-4-1
, style="text-align:left;", Rudie Lubbers
, UD
, 15
, 16 Jan 1973
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
, style="text-align:left;",
, -
, 47
, Win
, 42-4-1
, style="text-align:left;", Dante Cane
, TKO
, 6
, 28 Nov 1972
, align=left, Ice Rink, Nottingham
,
, -
, 46
, Win
, 41-4-1
, style="text-align:left;", Tony Doyle
, TKO
, 8
, 14 Nov 1972
, align=left, Wembley, London
,
, -
, 45
, Win
, 40-4-1
, style="text-align:left;", Jürgen Blin
, KO
, 8
, 10 Oct 1972
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
, style="text-align:left;",
, -
, 44
, Win
, 39-4-1
, style="text-align:left;", Paul Nielsen
, TKO
, 6
, 19 Jul 1972
, align=left,
Croke Park
Croke Park (, ) is a Gaelic games stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Named after Archbishop Thomas Croke, it is referred to as Croker by GAA fans and locals. It serves as both the principal national stadium of Ireland and headquarters of the Gaelic At ...
,
Dublin
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
,
, -
, 43
, Win
, 38-4-1
, style="text-align:left;", Doug Kirk
, TKO
, 5
, 6 Jun 1972
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 42
, Win
, 37-4-1
, style="text-align:left;", Marc Hans
, TKO
, 3
, 9 May 1972
, align=left, Wembley, London
,
, -
, 41
, Win
, 36-4-1
, style="text-align:left;", Leroy Caldwell
, DQ
, 5
, 25 Apr 1972
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 40
, Win
, 35-4-1
, style="text-align:left;", Brian O'Melia
, TKO
, 2
, 28 Mar 1972
, align=left, Wembley, London
,
, -
, 39
, Loss
, 34-4-1
, style="text-align:left;", Larry Middleton
, PTS
, 10
, 24 Nov 1971
, align=left, Ice Rink, Nottingham
,
, -
, 38
, Win
, 34-3-1
, style="text-align:left;", Mike Boswell
, UD
, 10
, 17 Nov 1971
, align=left,
Houston
Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
,
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
Jack Bodell
Jack Bodell (11 August 1940 – 9 November 2016) was an English professional boxer who competed in the heavyweight division.
Boxing career
Born in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, Bodell started out as a light heavyweight, winning the 1961 ABA cham ...
Henry Cooper
Sir Henry Cooper (3 May 19341 May 2011) was a British heavyweight boxer. He was undefeated in British and Commonwealth heavyweight championship contests for twelve years and held the European heavyweight title for three years. In a 1963 fi ...
, PTS
, 15
, 16 Mar 1971
, align=left, Wembley, London
, style="text-align:left;",
, -
, 34
, style="background: #B0C4DE", Draw
, 31-2-1
, style="text-align:left;", Bill Drover
, PTS
, 10
, 10 Feb 1971
, align=left, Bethnal Green, London
,
, -
, 33
, Win
, 31-2
, style="text-align:left;", Carl Gizzi
, PTS
, 10
, 19 Jan 1971
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 32
, Win
, 30-2
, style="text-align:left;", Miguel Angel Paez
, TKO
, 3
, 8 Dec 1970
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 31
, Win
, 29-2
, style="text-align:left;", George Johnson
, PTS
, 10
, 3 Nov 1970
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 30
, Win
, 28-2
, style="text-align:left;", Hector Eduardo Corletti
, PTS
, 10
, 6 Oct 1970
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 29
, Win
, 27-2
, style="text-align:left;", Chuck Wepner
, TKO
, 3
, 8 Sep 1970
, align=left, Wembley, London
,
, -
, 28
, Win
, 26-2
, style="text-align:left;", Brian London
, TKO
, 5
, 12 May 1970
, align=left, Wembley, London
,
, -
, 27
, Win
, 25-2
, style="text-align:left;", Ray Patterson
, PTS
, 8
, 21 Apr 1970
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 26
, Win
, 24-2
, style="text-align:left;", Manuel Ramos
, PTS
, 4
, 23 Mar 1970
, align=left, Wembley, London
,
, -
, 25
, Win
, 23-2
, style="text-align:left;", Roberto Davila
, TKO
, 4
, 10 Feb 1970
, align=left, Picadilly, London
,
, -
, 24
, Win
, 22-2
, style="text-align:left;", Johnny Prescott
, PTS
, 8
, 20 Jan 1970
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 23
, Win
, 21-2
, style="text-align:left;", Charley Polite
, TKO
, 3
, 9 Dec 1969
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 22
, Win
, 20-2
, style="text-align:left;", Eddie Talhami
, TKO
, 4
, 11 Nov 1969
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 21
, Win
, 19-2
, style="text-align:left;", Phil Smith
, TKO
, 2
, 14 Oct 1969
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 20
, Loss
, 18-2
, style="text-align:left;", Dick Hall
, PTS
, 8
, 4 Aug 1969
, align=left, Hotel Piccadilly, Manchester
,
, -
, 19
, Win
, 18-1
, style="text-align:left;", Moses Harrell
, PTS
, 8
, 9 Jun 1969
, align=left, Belle Vue,
Manchester
Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...
,
, -
, 18
, Win
, 17-1
, style="text-align:left;", Tony Ventura
, PTS
, 8
, 20 May 1969
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 17
, Win
, 16-1
, style="text-align:left;", Jack O'Halloran
, PTS
, 8
, 15 Apr 1969
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 16
, Win
, 15-1
, style="text-align:left;", Lion Ven
, TKO
, 5
, 25 Mar 1969
, align=left, Wembley, London
,
, -
, 15
, Win
, 14-1
, style="text-align:left;", Ulric Regis
, PTS
, 8
, 11 Mar 1969
, align=left, Shoreditch, London
,
, -
, 14
, Win
, 13-1
, style="text-align:left;", Terry Feeley
, TKO
, 1
, 25 Feb 1969
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 13
, Win
, 12-1
, style="text-align:left;", Rudolph Vaughan
, TKO
, 2
, 21 Jan 1969
, align=left,
Kensington
Kensington is an area of London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, around west of Central London.
The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up by Kensingt ...
, London
,
, -
, 12
, Win
, 11-1
, style="text-align:left;", George Dulaire
, TKO
, 4
, 19 Dec 1968
, align=left, Bethnal Green, London
,
, -
, 11
, Win
, 10-1
, style="text-align:left;", Gene Innocent
, TKO
, 3
, 12 Nov 1968
, align=left, Wembley, London
,
, -
, 10
, Win
, 9-1
, style="text-align:left;", Paul Brown
, TKO
, 3
, 4 Nov 1968
, align=left, Connaught Rooms, London
,
, -
, 9
, Win
, 8-1
, style="text-align:left;", Vic Moore
, TKO
, 1
, 8 Oct 1968
, align=left, Royal Albert Hall, London
,
, -
, 8
, Win
, 7-1
, style="text-align:left;", Obe Hepburn
, TKO
, 1
, 18 Aug 1968
, align=left, Wembley, London
,
, -
, 7
, Win
, 6-1
, style="text-align:left;", Paul Brown
, TKO
, 4
, 28 May 1968
, align=left,
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272.
Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...
, London
,
, -
, 6
, Win
, 5-1
, style="text-align:left;", Billy Wynter
, PTS
, 6
, 21 May 1968
, align=left, Bethnal Green, London
,
, -
, 5
, Win
, 4-1
, style="text-align:left;", Mick Oliver
, RTD
, 3
, 6 May 1968
, align=left, Mayfair, London
,
, -
, 4
, Win
, 3-1
, style="text-align:left;", Bert Johnson
, KO
, 3
, 26 Mar 1968
, align=left, Bethnal Green, London
,
, -
, 3
, Win
, 2-1
, style="text-align:left;", Jim McIlvaney
, TKO
, 2
, 27 Feb 1968
, align=left, Bethnal Green, London
,
, -
, 2
, Win
, 1-1
, style="text-align:left;", Paul Cassidy
, TKO
, 2
, 30 Jan 1968
, align=left,
Bethnal Green
Bethnal Green is an area in London, England, and is located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is in east London and part of the East End of London, East End. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the common la ...
, London
,
, -
, 1
, Loss
, 0-1
, style="text-align:left;", Paul Brown
, KO
, 3
, 20 Dec 1967
, align=left,
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of Westminster, London, England, in the City of Westminster. It is in Central London and part of the West End. It is between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane and one of the most expensive districts ...
,
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...