How Much of Joe Bugner’s Net Worth Will Be Left for His Wife and Kids?

The fight game has lost another giant. Joe Bugner, the Hungarian-born heavyweight who grew up in Britain, became an adopted Australian, and went toe-to-toe with Muhammad Ali twice, died in Brisbane on September 1, 2025. He was 75. Bugner spent his last years in a care facility battling dementia, and earlier reports also mentioned treatment for skin cancer.

He was more than a fighter with a granite chin. He was a survivor who lived three lives on three continents—and who never quite escaped the shadow of Ali, Frazier, and the golden age of heavyweights.

Joe Bugner was a former British, European, and Commonwealth heavyweight champion who began his pro career at just 17 years old. He shot to fame after a controversial win over heavyweight great Henry Cooper, which earned him the British, Commonwealth, and European titles. By the 1970s, Joe Bugner was ranked among the top 10 heavyweights in the world, challenging legends like Muhamad Ali and Joe Frazier. So, what was his net worth, and how much might he have been able to distribute among his kids?

Estimating Joe Bugner’s Net Worth at the Time of Death

Joe Bugner leaves behind a remarkable legacy, boasting a professional record of 69 wins, 13 losses, and one draw, with 41 victories coming by knockout. While exact figures remain unconfirmed, his net worth in 2025 is estimated to be in the several hundred-thousand-dollar range.

His financial picture was shaped not only by his long and successful boxing career but also by ventures outside the ring. Bugner dabbled in acting, appearing in the 1994 film Street Fighter alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme, and pursued entrepreneurial interests. In the late 1980s, he, along with his second wife Marlene, invested heavily in an Australian vineyard, but the venture failed, costing him an estimated two million Australian dollars.

Prize money was also a key source of income throughout the 1970s, when fighters of Joe Bugner’s stature earned millions. Still, those payouts were modest compared to the sums pocketed by legends such as Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, leaving Joe Bugner in a different financial tier despite his high-profile career.

Who Are the Beneficiaries? Wife and Children

At the time of his passing, Joe Bugner was survived by his wife and children. His ex-wife, Melody, whom Bugner once described their marriage as “a disaster and a mistake,” was the mother of his three children: James, Joe Jr., and Amy, as noted in news reports. However, his later years were spent with his wife, Marlene Carter, an Australian journalist he met at a party hosted by actress Joan Collins. While Bugner and Marlene did not have any biological children, she had two children from a previous marriage, whom Bugner treated as his own. So how much would each of them actually receive from Joe Bugner’s wealth?

Under Australian intestacy rules, if someone dies leaving both a spouse (including a de facto partner) and children, the estate is usually divided according to a statutory formula. The spouse receives two-thirds of the estate, while the children equally share the remaining third.

So based on Joe Bugner’s estimated net worth of several hundred thousand dollars, this means his wife Marlene would likely receive around two-thirds, while his three biological children would share the rest. For instance, if his net worth were $300,000, Marlene would receive approximately $200,000, while James, Joe Jr., and Amy would each inherit about $33,333. After this distribution, nothing would remain outside the statutory allocation.

With 2025 already marked by heartbreaking losses, from Georgia O’Connor, Joey Archer, Mike McCallum, and the undefeated Abu Yusupov, to the legendary George Foreman, the passing of Joe Bugner feels especially heavy. He will be profoundly missed. EssentiallySports extends its deepest condolences to Joe Bugner’s family and wishes them strength, comfort, and peace in the days ahead.