Joe Bugner avatar image
Joe Bugner professional boxer headshot

Joe Bugner
"Joe Bugner's nicknames are "None"

69

Wins

13

Losses

1

Draws

None

KO%
  • Birth Name: József Kreul Bugner
  • Birth Place: Contribute
  • Born: March 13, 1950
  • Died: Contribute
  • Age: 73
  • Height: 6′ 4″
  • Weight: Contribute
  • Reach: 82″
  • Stance: Orthodox
  • Pro Debut: December 20, 1967
  • Nationality: United Kingdom
  • Status: Inactive
  • Manager: Contribute
  • Promoter: Contribute
  • Total Bouts: 83
  • Total Rounds: 570

Joe Bugner, a British boxer with a professional career spanning over 31 years, is well-known for his remarkable achievements in the ring. With a total of 83 fights, Joe Bugner has won 68 fights, suffered 13 losses, and had one draw throughout his career. He never had any no-contests, and he had 40 knockout wins to his name. Let's dive into the boxer's career and see what makes him stand out among the rest.

Bugner made his professional boxing debut at just 17 years old against Paul Brown on December 20, 1967. He suffered a 3rd round knockout (KO) in this fight. However, he bounced back with 18 consecutive wins after losing his first fight. Out of the 18 consecutive wins, 13 were via stoppage, showcasing his dominance in the ring.

He had his first-ever world title fight at the age of 25 on June 30, 1975, after 58 professional fights. The ring was set for a highly anticipated match between Joe Bugner and Muhammad Ali for the WBA, WBC, and The Ring titles. Although Bugner gave his all, he ultimately lost to Ali via unanimous decision after fighting for 15 rounds. The loss marked a turning point in his career, and he went on to redefine his career with some notable victories.

Joe Bugner fought a total of 83 times throughout his professional career, but some fights stand out from the rest. His five career highlights include the fight against Muhammad Ali on June 30, 1975, where he challenged Ali for the WBA, WBC, and The Ring heavyweight titles. Despite losing to Ali via unanimous decision after 15 rounds, Bugner's fight was highly regarded for his sheer determination and fighting spirit.

Another fight that stands out in Joe Bugner's career was his victory over James Tillis via 10th round points (PTS) on September 15, 1986. This fight was an exciting back-and-forth between the two boxers, with Bugner ultimately coming out on top. Bugner's next notable victory was against Greg Page via 10th round unanimous decision on July 24, 1987. He also achieved a first-round TKO against James Smith on July 4, 1998.

Joe Bugner had a total of 13 losses in his professional boxing career. He lost one of them in a title bout and the rest in non-title fights. His first professional loss was against Paul Brown, where he suffered a 3rd round KO. Out of 13 defeats, four of them were via KO, while the remaining nine losses were via decision. Although Bugner had a successful career, his losses shouldn't be overlooked.

Bugner's last professional fight was a non-title bout against Levi Billups on June 13, 1999. He won the fight via a 9th round disqualification (DQ). To sum it up, Bugner retired with a record of 68-13-1, including 40 KO wins and just four losses via knockout.

In conclusion, Joe Bugner was a boxer with a remarkable career that spanned over 31 years. Although he suffered some tough losses, he bounced back with some notable victories that earned him a place among the greats. His memorable fights against Muhammad Ali, James Tillis, Greg Page, and James Smith still live on, inspiring people everywhere to never give up on their dreams.

Joe Bugner Fight Record

# Date Age Opponent Result Via
83 Jun 13, 1999 49 Levi Billups Win DQ
82 Jul 4, 1998 48 James Smith Win TKO1
81 Apr 20, 1998 48 Bob Mirovic Win SD
80 Jan 13, 1998 47 Colin Wilson Win UD
79 Jun 3, 1997 47 Waisiki Ligaloa Win TKO7
78 Jul 5, 1996 46 Young Haumona Win KO5
77 Mar 16, 1996 46 Scott Welch Loss TKO6
76 Feb 2, 1996 45 West Turner Win KO3
75 Sep 22, 1995 45 Vince Cervi Win UD
74 Oct 24, 1987 37 Frank Bruno Loss TKO8
73 Jul 24, 1987 37 Greg Page Win UD
72 Nov 14, 1986 36 David Bey Win UD
71 Sep 15, 1986 36 James Tillis Win PTS
70 Feb 18, 1984 33 Steffen Tangstad Loss SD
69 Jan 13, 1984 33 Anders Eklund Win MD
68 Jun 4, 1983 33 Marvis Frazier Loss UD
67 Apr 20, 1983 33 Danny Sutton Win TKO9
66 Feb 16, 1983 32 John Dino Denis Win TKO3
65 Dec 9, 1982 32 Eddie Neilson Win TKO5
64 Oct 28, 1982 32 Winston Allen Win KO3
63 May 8, 1982 32 Earnie Shavers Loss TKO2
62 Aug 23, 1980 30 Gilberto Acuna Win TKO6
61 Mar 20, 1977 27 Ron Lyle Loss SD
60 Oct 12, 1976 26 Richard Dunn Won KO1
59 Jun 30, 1975 25 Muhammad Ali Loss UD
58 Feb 28, 1975 24 Dante Cane Win TKO5
57 Dec 3, 1974 24 Santiago Alberto Lovell Win TKO2
56 Nov 12, 1974 24 Jimmy Ellis Win PTS
55 Oct 1, 1974 24 Jose Luis Garcia Win KO2
54 May 29, 1974 24 Piermario Baruzzi Win TKO10
53 Mar 12, 1974 23 Pat Duncan Win PTS
52 Nov 13, 1973 23 Mac Foster Win PTS
51 Oct 2, 1973 23 Giuseppe Ros Win PTS
50 Jul 2, 1973 23 Joe Frazier Loss PTS
49 Feb 14, 1973 22 Muhammad Ali Loss UD
48 Jan 16, 1973 22 Rudie Lubbers Win UD
47 Nov 28, 1972 22 Dante Cane Win TKO6
46 Nov 14, 1972 22 Tony Doyle Win TKO8
45 Oct 10, 1972 22 Jürgen Blin Win KO8
44 Jul 19, 1972 22 Paul Nielsen Win TKO6
43 Jun 6, 1972 22 Doug Kirk Win TKO5
42 May 9, 1972 22 Marc Hans Win TKO3
41 Apr 25, 1972 22 Leroy Caldwell Win DQ
40 Mar 28, 1972 22 Brian O'Melia Win TKO2
39 Nov 24, 1971 21 Larry Middleton Loss PTS
38 Nov 17, 1971 21 Mike Boswell Win UD
37 Sep 27, 1971 21 Jack Bodell Loss PTS
36 May 11, 1971 21 Jürgen Blin Win PTS
35 Mar 16, 1971 21 Henry Cooper Win PTS
34 Feb 10, 1971 20 Bill Drover Draw PTS
33 Jan 19, 1971 20 Carl Gizzi Win PTS
32 Dec 8, 1970 20 Miguel Angel Paez Win TKO3
31 Nov 3, 1970 20 George Johnson Win PTS
30 Oct 6, 1970 20 Hector Eduardo Corletti Win PTS
29 Sep 8, 1970 20 Chuck Wepner Win TKO3
28 May 12, 1970 20 Brian London Win TKO5
27 Apr 21, 1970 20 Ray Patterson Win PTS
26 Mar 24, 1970 20 Manuel Ramos Win PTS
25 Feb 10, 1970 19 Roberto Davila Win TKO4
24 Jan 20, 1970 19 Johnny Prescott Win PTS
23 Dec 9, 1969 19 Charley Polite Win TKO3
22 Nov 11, 1969 19 Eddie Talhami Win TKO4
21 Oct 14, 1969 19 Phil Smith Win TKO2
20 Aug 4, 1969 19 Dick Hall Loss PTS
19 Jun 9, 1969 19 Moses Harrell Win PTS
18 May 20, 1969 19 Tony Ventura Win PTS
17 Apr 15, 1969 19 Jack O'Halloran Win PTS
16 Mar 25, 1969 19 Lion Ven Win TKO5
15 Mar 11, 1969 18 Ulric Regis Win PTS
14 Feb 25, 1969 18 Terry Feeley Win TKO1
13 Jan 21, 1969 18 Rudolph Vaughan Win TKO2
12 Dec 19, 1968 18 George Dulaire Win TKO4
11 Nov 12, 1968 18 Gene Innocent Win TKO3
10 Nov 4, 1968 18 Paul Brown Win TKO3
9 Oct 8, 1968 18 Vic Moore Win TKO1
8 Aug 18, 1968 18 Obe Hepburn Win TKO1
7 May 28, 1968 18 Paul Brown Win TKO4
6 May 21, 1968 18 Billy Wynter Win PTS
5 May 6, 1968 18 Mick Oliver Win RTD3
4 Mar 26, 1968 18 Bert Johnson Win KO3
3 Feb 27, 1968 17 Jim McIlvaney Win TKO2
2 Jan 30, 1968 17 Paul Cassidy Win TKO2
1 Dec 20, 1967 17 Paul Brown Loss KO3