How would Joe Bugner Fare In Today's Heavyweight Division?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by ThatOne, Sep 30, 2025.


  1. ThatOne

    ThatOne Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Please discuss. Thank you.
     
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  2. Paul McB

    Paul McB Member Full Member

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    Hard to say.
    He always had talent but could be a spoiler and overly defensive and cautious.
    So definitely world class, but too inconsistent to predict. And I say this as someone who picked him to beat Bruno in ‘87.
     
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  3. HistoryZero26

    HistoryZero26 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I think after everything Bugner would be the best British HW though his hold on that title would be more tenuous.

    Bugner might not get the results of a Fury or AJ because those resumes were very manufactured. But if they all faced the same exact SOS I think Bugner would do the best.
     
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  4. Steve Fero

    Steve Fero Member Full Member

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    Not well he d have the length and fitness as when he fought in the 70s but not much power. That deficit stopped him from being a true top 3 contender or champ but today he would not be able to be a a top 10 contender.
     
  5. dmt

    dmt Hardest hitting hw ever Full Member

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    Top 10 contender. Loses to Usyk, loses to peak Joshua, gives Fury a hard fight but probably loses.

    Could beat some of the other top 10 guys.
     
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  6. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Mauling Mormon’s banned Full Member

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    He’d do terribly his size was a commodity back then, today he isn’t overly big and that doesn’t make up for his so-so boxing.
     
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  7. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    Hard to say.
    Never knew which Bugner was gonna turn up tbh.
     
  8. Pat M

    Pat M Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Great post. Bugner always looked like an athlete trying to box. Today he wouldn't be bigger or more athletic which were the advantages he had in the 70s. He was an arm puncher, don't know how he'd keep bigger, stronger fighters from walking through his punches.
     
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  9. MarkusFlorez99

    MarkusFlorez99 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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  10. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    Probably not well. He didn’t have much power and wasn’t one to usually press the action. In an era where he had the size advantage it was more doable to keep people at bay and tie em up when needed. Today he’d have to move a lot more and take better advantage of open opportunities. He wasn’t that type of a fighter.
     
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  11. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Good lord, no

    He would be Mariusz Wach 2.0.
     
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