Aussie Joe's finest hour

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by 20thCenturyBox, Jan 14, 2024.


  1. 20thCenturyBox

    20thCenturyBox Member Full Member

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    Joe Bugner got fed up with the stick he was getting in England (what did he expect after the Marvis Frazier, Anders Eklund and Steffan Tangstad fights?) and emigrated to Australia. He got himself a nickname to reflect his change of allegiance - Aussie Joe. To most people's surprise, Joe actually had a pretty good run of wins against fairly decent opposition. His third fight, against Greg Page, earned him a WBC top ten ranking and a place in a final eliminator for the world title.

    For those who want to watch the new-and-improved version of Joe Bugner online, here's a link to my Daily Motion channel:

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  2. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Yes Although he was obviously post-prime,Joe was better than he was in his bouts with Marvis Frazier,Anders Eklund and Steffan Tangstead. He was pretty dire in those contests. James Tillis,David Bey and Greg Page were also past their primes but still better than the three mentioned above.
     
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  3. Cecil

    Cecil Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I always hear that the Brits didn’t take to Joe because he was a Hungarian refugee.
    That wasn’t the case, the reason was too many times he was a pacifist and stank the joint out.
    He managed to lose to Jack Bodell ffs.
     
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  4. davidjay

    davidjay Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I've said it before on here - we like good losers and he wasn't, he looked the part but rarely delivered but mostly I think the reason he was disliked was because he enjoyed being a pantomime villain. These days he would have been a promoter's dream.
     
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  5. The Cryptkeeper

    The Cryptkeeper Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Fun fact - Aussie Joe showed up playing a standover man in 2003 Aussie crime comedy film Gettin' Square which also starred Sam Worthington, David Wenham and Timothy Spall.

    Pretty solid film too and Joe did a good job in his small but important part.
     
  6. Pugguy

    Pugguy Ingo, The Thinking Man’s GOAT Full Member

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    You’d know better Cec, like others from the UK who lived through it - how much did beating Cooper and fighting in his shadow set Bugner back?

    I understand Bugner’s lack of aggression was an issue in its own right but I wonder how much grief Bugner copped for beating a national hero.

    His best fight, just imo, was vs Joe Frazier, Joe showed some praiseworthy mongrel in that fight, imo. Physically, the man had great tools when he elected to properly use them.
     
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  7. GoldenHulk

    GoldenHulk Boxing Addict Full Member

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    My least favorite fighter. I can't stand big guys that can't punch like Bugner, Buster Mathis, and Ernie Terrell. My 2 favorite fights was when he got his a$$ kicked by Shavers and Bruno. I'd rather watch golf or a chess match than Bugner peck and poke his way to a decision.
     
  8. 20thCenturyBox

    20thCenturyBox Member Full Member

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    My mother loathed Bugner with a passion because he beat her idol, Henry Cooper. If Joe Bugner had invented a cure for cancer or brought about peace between the Israelis and Palestinians, she would still have found fault with Joe.
     
  9. Pugguy

    Pugguy Ingo, The Thinking Man’s GOAT Full Member

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    Lol. Thanks for the terrific insight. So once he beat ‘Enry, there was no coming back for Joe in your Mum’s eyes. :D Bless her.
     
  10. jarama

    jarama Active Member Full Member

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    I uderstand the frustration with Joe,.

    Joe could fight, but a boxer died in a fight with Joe and my Dad said after that he was always a bit cautious of punching.

    Another fight Can't remember the fight but when someone head butted him he knocked them clean out with a right straightaway no messing about, cracking punch.

    But apparently was very good at all sports as a schoolboy, some discus record he held
     
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  11. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    The opponent of Joe's you're thinking about was Winston Allen.
     
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  12. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    He staggered Frazier too so he must have a little bit of pop at times.
     
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  13. SolomonDeedes

    SolomonDeedes Active Member Full Member

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    He put some venom into that one.

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  14. jarama

    jarama Active Member Full Member

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    Yeah that is the one
     
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  15. roeknott

    roeknott 7.12.20 Full Member

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    I liked Bugner, he could fight no doubt.
    It saddened me to watch him V Bruno, who in my opinion he would have beaten in a bit of a dogfight from mid rounds if he was younger...
     
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