Personal Tribute Reveals How Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier Derailed Late Joe Bugner’s World Title Dream

Former British and European heavyweight champion Joe Bugner passed away recently in Brisbane, Australia, at the age of 75. After relocating to Australia in the mid-1980s, Bugner was diagnosed with dementia and spent his later years in an assisted living facility, where he died. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 230 pounds in his prime, Bugner carved out a career that spanned more than three decades, facing some of boxing’s biggest names.

He fought Muhammad Ali twice, going the distance on both occasions but falling short on the scorecards, and also shared the ring with Joe Frazier. By the time of his retirement in 1999, he had compiled an impressive record of 83 bouts, with 69 wins, 13 losses, and 1 draw. After his death, Frank Warren, who helped revive Bugner’s career in the UK after his initial 1976 retirement, revealed how the losses to Ali and Frazier derailed Bugner’s world title dreams. 

Frank Warren and Joe Bugner go way back

Speaking to BoxNation recently, Warren reflected on his shared past with ‘Aussie Joe,’ stating, “Joe and I went back a long way. After his fights [against] Ali and Fraser… He basically moved to America, retired, and I brought him back to the UK in 1982. It was my first ever show on ITV and [did] really good business.” Warren’s great start with ITV, thanks to Bugner, cemented his relationship with the broadcaster that lasted for the next 15 years.

When asked whether Bugner was instrumental in building his career, Warren agreed, recollecting Bugner’s fight against Winston Allen, which was the first fight Warren promoted with Bugner 43 years ago on ITV. “I think it was the second or the third round. There was a clash of heads. It [wasn’t] a clash of heads. Winston put the nut on him, cut his eye,” Warren claimed. The reporter then pressed Warren about Bugner’s image in the UK, to which he revealed how losses to Ali and Frazer squashed Bugner’s dream for a world title.

“You’ve got to look at the context,” Warren explained. “He was in the era of [the] great heavyweights, real great heavyweights. Ali, Frazer… Earnie Shavers. I mean, a great era of fighters. And he went twice the distance with Muhammad Ali. He had a fight at [Earls Court Arena, Kensington] in the 70s with Joe Frazier, and I’m talking about a good Joe Frazier, and it was an unbelievable fight.”

Warren had personally felt Bugner was close to winning, but it was given to Frazier. “Frazier knocked him down,” Warren told the reporter. “He got up and in the last round he was that close to, I thought, winning the fight.” By this time, Bugner had already lost once to Ali, and a title wasn’t on the line. Two years later, Bugner faced Ali again in Kuala Lumpur, suffering a unanimous decision loss, along with the WBC heavyweight title that was on the line. 

Warren was heartbroken over Bugner’s death, as he expressed his sorrow over the heavyweight’s loss.

Warren feels Bugner was one of the top British heavyweights

Immediately after Joe Bugner’s death was announced by the British Boxing Board of Control, promoter Frank Warren paid tribute on X, writing, “A great man who will be missed. I’m sending my regards to his family. May he rest in peace.” However, in the interview with BoxNation, Warren expanded on his thoughts, reflecting more deeply on the legacy Bugner left behind.

“Thoughts and condolences to his family for their sad loss,” Warren said. “He was a very good fighter. One of the top British heavyweights when you look at who was around at the time. That was a really tough era.” Despite Warren’s praise and Bugner’s legendary career, the sad part is that Joe Bugner couldn’t have remembered it in his final years, a curse of dementia. 

Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier may have prevented Joe Bugner from becoming a world champion, but they couldn’t stop him from becoming a boxing legend. Had it not been for Ali and Frazier, do you think he could have become a world champion?