One of Joe's early opponents died a few days after the fight and Joe never really recovered from that, staying much more defensive and not using his power (that he definitely had).
Never really forgiven by the British public for beating Our 'enry. Very good technical boxer and a good career.
RIP big man. Called himself 'Aussie Joe' over here after getting citizenship and he won the Australian heavyweight title in 1995 at the venue I was working at the time. Was a nice fella to deal with. His house was robbed the same night, the shits obviously knew he wouldn't be home! he's fondly thought of here.
One of Joe's early opponents died a few days after the fight and Joe never really recovered from that, staying much more defensive and not using his power (that he definitely had).
Never really forgiven by the British public for beating Our 'enry. Very good technical boxer and a good career.
Just remembered one of my favourite moments about him is when he came out of retirement just to shut up Richard Dunn (not the footballer) and virtually knocked him out in about 10 seconds.
One of Joe's early opponents died a few days after the fight and Joe never really recovered from that, staying much more defensive and not using his power (that he definitely had).
Never really forgiven by the British public for beating Our 'enry. Very good technical boxer and a good career.
RIP Joe
Thats right,Joe always seemed to hold back when he had an opponent in trouble,I remember the Cooper fight,Henry won that,but was astounded not to be given the nod. Joe did have some great fights against Ali and Frazier but the British public never really took to him
One of Joe's early opponents died a few days after the fight and Joe never really recovered from that, staying much more defensive and not using his power (that he definitely had).
Never really forgiven by the British public for beating Our 'enry. Very good technical boxer and a good career.
RIP Joe
Thats right,Joe always seemed to hold back when he had an opponent in trouble,I remember the Cooper fight,Henry won that,but was astounded not to be given the nod. Joe did have some great fights against Ali and Frazier but the British public never really took to him
RIP Joe.
The decision in the Cooper fight was a shocker but Joe became a worthy title contender Boxing remains littered with awful decisions when bouts go the distance Tyson Fury was awarded a win in a domestic fight early on in his pro career when he’d barely laid a glove on a wily experienced campaigner who scored relentlessly throughout but without knockout power Fury was the rising star with all the BS showbiz and high profile promoter His opponent that night was just a stepping stone on the Fury trajectory who collected his fee and went home without a mark on him The gypsy king’s boat was a battered red swollen mess
John McDermott that was, one of the worst of modern day bent decisions going to the rising star and ticket seller.
John Ryder could make a claim to most robbed fighter of recent times, anyway. We're talking about Joe Bugner
The Henry Cooper fight was before my time but to get in the ring with Joe Frazier, Ali and Cooper is an incredible CV regardless of results. I know he hadn't been very well for the last few years of his life but he also found his place in Australia.
Am I the only one on this thread who thinks Bugner won the fight against Cooper?
Bugner got the decision by the narrowest of margins on Gibbs' scorecard. It was close, very close, and could have gone either way (or a draw) but the backlash against Bugner (wasn't his fault) was unjustified. That backlash was based on Cooper's legendary status, it was his last ever fight and was always going to be win or lose, and all three titles were up for grabs. I remember watching the fight (I was into boxing big time even at 14!) and I thought Joe just nicked it.
It was certainly not a shocker of a decision, no robbery, just a genuine interpretation by Harry Gibbs. History has cemented the sense of injustice - wrongly.
The story about big Joe pulling his punches is true up to a point. In one of his early comeback fights in 1982 against Winston Allen, Bugner was largely controlling the fight and staying at range, clearly thinking of bigger pay-days ahead. At the end of the sixth (I think) Allen, launched a huge head-butt that knocked Bugner back on his feet, and drew a rather strong admonishment from Harry Gibbs the referee. I have never seen Big Joe as angry, and he marched towards Allen and knocked him spark out with a huge over-hand right, that would have downed better men than him. Very sad loss to the boxing world, though in truth he had not been in good health for many years. RIP Joe Bugner.
Am I the only one on this thread who thinks Bugner won the fight against Cooper?
Bugner got the decision by the narrowest of margins on Gibbs' scorecard. It was close, very close, and could have gone either way (or a draw) but the backlash against Bugner (wasn't his fault) was unjustified. That backlash was based on Cooper's legendary status, it was his last ever fight and was always going to be win or lose, and all three titles were up for grabs. I remember watching the fight (I was into boxing big time even at 14!) and I thought Joe just nicked it.
It was certainly not a shocker of a decision, no robbery, just a genuine interpretation by Harry Gibbs. History has cemented the sense of injustice - wrongly.
We watching on TV or 50rows back in the audience,cannnot see what the referee sees,and he in those days was the judge and jury.Personally,from what I saw,I thought Henry won,when the final bell went,he walked towards the ref with his hand out to accept his victory,Joe really didnt react in the same way,I think maybe he wasnt to hopeful.Henry retired ,whether he would have gone on if he had won is another matter,but nevertheless an era came to a close,Henry could concentrate on his golf,(There is a Henry Cooper suite at The London Club with loads of momentoes to honour his memory).
Am I the only one on this thread who thinks Bugner won the fight against Cooper?
Bugner got the decision by the narrowest of margins on Gibbs' scorecard. It was close, very close, and could have gone either way (or a draw) but the backlash against Bugner (wasn't his fault) was unjustified. That backlash was based on Cooper's legendary status, it was his last ever fight and was always going to be win or lose, and all three titles were up for grabs. I remember watching the fight (I was into boxing big time even at 14!) and I thought Joe just nicked it.
It was certainly not a shocker of a decision, no robbery, just a genuine interpretation by Harry Gibbs. History has cemented the sense of injustice - wrongly.
We watching on TV or 50rows back in the audience,cannnot see what the referee sees,and he in those days was the judge and jury.Personally,from what I saw,I thought Henry won,when the final bell went,he walked towards the ref with his hand out to accept his victory,Joe really didnt react in the same way,I think maybe he wasnt to hopeful.Henry retired ,whether he would have gone on if he had won is another matter,but nevertheless an era came to a close,Henry could concentrate on his golf,(There is a Henry Cooper suite at The London Club with loads of momentoes to honour his memory).
I watched it on TV, the best view is that of the referee of course, and Gibbs' integrity as a good judge was sound. How many times do you see a boxer claim victory when they've been schooled? (not that Cooper was schooled). It was definitely going to be Henry's last fight - his body and especially his left hand, was shot.
I was a huge Cooper fan and it wouldn't have been a shock if Henry got the decision, and equally I believe it wasn't a shock that Joe got it. That's my point, it wasn't the robbery that it was made out to be.
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He thanked me and drove off.
RIP.
RIP
Joe did have some great fights against Ali and Frazier but the British public never really took to him
RIP Joe.
Boxing remains littered with awful decisions when bouts go the distance
Tyson Fury was awarded a win in a domestic fight early on in his pro career when he’d barely laid a glove on a wily experienced campaigner who scored relentlessly throughout but without knockout power
Fury was the rising star with all the BS showbiz and high profile promoter
His opponent that night was just a stepping stone on the Fury trajectory who collected his fee and went home without a mark on him
The gypsy king’s boat was a battered red swollen mess
John Ryder could make a claim to most robbed fighter of recent times, anyway. We're talking about Joe Bugner
The Henry Cooper fight was before my time but to get in the ring with Joe Frazier, Ali and Cooper is an incredible CV regardless of results. I know he hadn't been very well for the last few years of his life but he also found his place in Australia.
Rest in peace Joe Bugner