Joe Bugner today. Where would you place him?

Top 18?

Who are the "marquee" wins today's heavyweights possess that are the stuff of "legends?"

Who are Bermane Stiverne's marquee, legendary wins? How about Szpilka's marquee legendary wins? How about Charles Martin's legendary wins? Who are Joseph Parker's legendary wins? Who are Carlos Takam's legendary wins? Bryant Jennings? Kubrat Pulev? Alexander Ustinov? Andy Ruiz? Glazkov? Chagaev? Ortiz's legendary wins?

Who are the 18 contenders who have such stellar, legendary "marquee" wins that you can't see Bugner beating any of them?

Bugner fought some pretty big names in the best heavyweight decade ever (the 1970s) and in another pretty damn good one (the 1980s).

Bugner fought top versions of Ali twice, as well as Joe Frazier, Jimmy Ellis, Mac Foster, Earnie Shavers, Greg Page, Ron Lyle, David Bey, James "Quick" Tillis, James "Bonecrusher" Smith, Frank Bruno, Henry Cooper, Jose Luis Garcia, Anders Eklund, Brian London. Chuck Wepner. Manuel Ramos ... just to name a few.

He had 83 pro fights and only lost 13 times - four of them to champs.

Ali was so impressed with Bugner, he said several times he thought Bugner would succeed him.

Who were Malik Scott's legendary wins? He's in the WBC top 10. Who were all of Jarrell Miller's legendary wins? He's in just about everyone's top 10, and I never saw the guy fight once. Who are Hughie Fury's legendary, marquee wins? He's in the WBO top 6.

Please name these 18 current heavyweight contenders - who Bugner has no chance against - who you would rate above him on Bugner's BEST DAY?

 

Yes, I understand Bugner was good enough to lose to some excellent fighters. Bravo.

 

And he beat Jimmy Ellis, Mac Foster, Greg Page, Henry Cooper, Jose Luis Garcia, Bonecrusher Smith, Brian London, David Bey, James "Quick" Tillis ... and on and on ...

Again, who are the marquee fighters Andy Ruiz has beaten that would cause you to pick Ruiz over the best Joe Bugner?

Who are the marquee names Gerald Washington has beaten that would lead you to pick him over Bugner?

Who are these 18 current heavyweights you'd take over Joe Bugner at his best and the "marquee" wins they have that led you to believe that?

 

Possibly at his best depends how good Ortiz becomes.looks very promising I have to admit.

 

I believe all those names had long fallen off the marquee by the time Bugner got to them.

Bugner gets overrated because he basked in the glow of greater fighters, greater fighters who beat him. When you have an Ali or a Frazier performing like they did, the water rises for everyone in the ocean.

 

To be fair, Bugner was in his late 30's and on the comeback trail for about the third time when he beat Page, Tillis, Bey and gave a game effort against a prime Bruno. I can see the merit in some of your other criticisms in this thread, but frankly if guys like Andy Ruiz, Charles Martin, and Vyacheslav Glazkov can break top 10, then Joe Bugner shouldn't have to just settle for " flirting" with top 20.

Agree 100% on that note... And it gets annoying when people pick the biggest obscurities who never did anything during what was claimed as a "strong era", to beat elite men from what they believe is a weak era.. Associating mediocre fighters with all time greats and giving them some "borrowed" ability merely for existing at the same time has never worked for me.. With that said, I think Bugner could have at least made fringe status in just about any period we can think of.

 

henry beat him, robbed.

 

And Bugner's controversial loss to Ron Lyle could have gone the other way as well.

 

If he was around today, at his best he definitely beats AJ.

 

Everyone does with a pulse. Let him go down that way he deserves it.

 

Yes. If Joe had just been a little busier,he would have got the nod over Ron.

 

I agree with that,Fergy. Joe would have outboxed Anthony over the distance.