Joe Bugner: My Story

by Joe Bugner, Stuart Mullins (Contributor)

He was the man Muhammad Ali couldn't knock out. He faced Cooper, Frazier and Bruno in the ring. He survived press condemnation, rocky marriages and a colorful film career. And at 48 years of age, he became the oldest Heavyweight Champion of the World. This is the story of Joe Bugner, one of the most controversial, fascinating and inspiring personalities in sports history. From childhood beginnings in Hungary and an escape to England after the 1956 Soviet invasion, Bugner would become an imposing six-foot-four challenger, winning multiple British and European heavyweight titles and ranked among the best boxers in the world. In 1975, he lost the world heavyweight championship and retired, but relocated to Australia and soon took up boxing again, which ended in another brutal loss, this time to Frank Bruno. His final comeback culminated in a 1998 world heavyweight championship win at the age of 48, a victory against the odds. Joe Bugner - My Story is about far more than boxing. It is the story of a refugee looking for a true home; of fame gained, lost and reclaimed; of family and turbulent love; of reputation, pride and regret. Told in his own words to writer Stuart Mullins, Bugner's tale is a gripping account of one man's lifelong search for glory.

206 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2013

About the author

József Kreul Bugner was a Hungarian-born British–Australian professional boxer, who competed in the heavyweight division, and actor. He held triple nationality, originally being a citizen of Hungary and becoming a naturalised citizen of both the United Kingdom and Australia.

Bugner twice held the British and British Commonwealth heavyweight titles and was a three-time European heavyweight champion. He was ranked among the world's top ten heavyweights of the 1970s, fighting such opponents as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Ron Lyle and many others. The Daily Telegraph ranked him among the top ten heavyweight boxers of all time.

As an actor, he was often known for his villainous roles in films starring Bud Spencer and for his role in the 1994 action film Street Fighter alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme and Raul Julia.

Reviews

[Ray Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. 2 day read. What a life ...... what boxer ..... great story.