Joe Bugner, two-time Muhammad Ali challenger and former British heavyweight champion, dies at 75
British Boxing Board of Control says the former British, Commonwealth and European heavyweight champion died in a Brisbane care home
Joe Bugner, a former British, Commonwealth and three-time European heavyweight champion who twice challenged Muhammad Ali, has died at the age of 75, the British Boxing Board of Control said.
The board said Bugner passed away at his care home in Brisbane, Australia, and offered condolences to his family. During an 83-fight professional career he compiled a record of 69 wins, 13 losses and one draw, with 41 victories coming inside the distance.
Bugner was consistently ranked among the world's top 10 heavyweights through much of the 1970s and was widely respected for his technical ability, toughness and durability. He faced several of the era's leading heavyweights, meeting Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in back-to-back bouts in 1973 and challenging Ali again for the world title in 1975.
Across his career he also shared the ring with notable names including Earnie Shavers, Henry Cooper and Frank Bruno. Bruno described Bugner's death as "a sad day for boxing," reflecting the regard held by peers and successors.
Bugner twice held the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles and captured the European heavyweight crown on three occasions. He began his professional career after emerging from a strong amateur background and became one of the most recognisable figures on the British and European boxing scene in the 1960s and 1970s.
The British Boxing Board of Control paid tribute to Bugner in its announcement, noting his status as a former British, European and Commonwealth champion and a world championship contender. No further details about the cause of death were released by the board in its statement.
Bugner's willingness to take on the best heavyweights of his era and his string of high-profile fights helped cement his place in boxing history. His longevity in the sport and repeated returns to prominence at continental level made him a prominent figure in heavyweight boxing for more than a decade.
Family members and representatives had not released additional information about funeral arrangements or memorials at the time of the board's announcement.