HARPO ’ s MARKS
Throughout the bulk of the 1980s and into the early 90s , I was a committeeman at Newtown Police Boys Club where the great Johnny Lewis taught men and boys how to box and become good citizens .
I also trained alongside a host of classy boxers including world champions Jeff Fenech , Kostya Tszyu and Jeff Harding and Australian titleholders Shane Knox , Justin Rowsell and Peter Mitrevski .
And no , I didn ’ t ever fancy getting into the ring and sparring with them !
Johnny always joked that if ever I took up boxing , I should sell advertising on the soles of my shoes ! Well , I think he was joking . Which brings me to Joe Bugner , not that anyone would ever have the audacity to suggest to him that Reschs Pilsener or Holden Commodore or whatever should be advertised on the soles of his size 14s !
“ Aussie ” Joe has been back in the news recently with the sad announcement that he is a victim of the dreaded Alzheimer ’ s Disease and is now living in a Queensland aged care facility .
I haven ’ t seen Joe for over a dozen years - the last time I was in the man ’ s presence was at a boxing tournament at Jupiter ’ s Casino on the Gold Coast .
We weren ’ t “ great ” friends but friends just the same and he was a man I came to admire , not only for his tremendous – and they were tremendous – boxing skills , but his intelligence and kindness and their 1973 bout in Las Vegas .
generosity offered to all .
Joe had a great intellect and if it wasn ’ t for his athletics skills , he could have earned a living as an academic – he really had the smarts ! So , it breaks my heart to learn that his amazing mind is now failing him , my little ticker goes out to him and his “ true love ”, wife , Marlene .
Down the years , I ’ ve crossed paths with many folk who believed Joe Bugner was a “ boxing Palooka ” – a second-rate
A bloodied Henry Cooper and Joe Bugner are both glad it ’ s all over after Joe won three championships belts off his fellow Briton at Wembley in 1971 . fighter . This about a
Barrier Rise with
TONY BRASSEL
STEELY was at no stage under the pump in cruising into 7th place , beaten less than two lengths in a 1030m hit out at Rosehill early last month . He ’ ll probably have another trial when he returns to the racetrack . Goes well fresh and handles all types of ground .
SALT CITY is an unraced 2YO trained at Tamworth by Craig Martin . The Dissident colt was having his second trial and finished powerfully over the final 100m to bolt in over 1000m on a soft surface on May 16 . Don ’ t let him get under your guard .
CROSS TALK is out of the Waterhouse-Bott camp and showed a scintillating turn of foot to race away with 1200m trial at headquarters on May 16 . Won two of three outings and ready to build on that record .
SHADOW DEVIL has won two of four outings and going on his smart 1050m trial win at Randwick on May 16 , he ’ s sure to go on with it this coming preparation . Showed pace and kicked strongly when tackled by classy Private Eye at the serious end of the business .
KIBOU and FIELD MARSHALL went around in a 1050m trial on a bog track at
Joe lands a body blow to Muhammad Ali during
Randwick on May 16 and both will bear watching when they resume . Kibou led throughout and bolted in while Field Marshall , although beaten a long way , rattled home over the final 200m to wind up third .
AMONT is an unraced 2YO from the Lee brothers ’ yard . They might have a good one on their hands here going on the youngster ’ s impressive 742m trial win at R ’ wick on May 16 . Never under any pressure and absolutely blitzed his rivals by a big space .
VIBURNIM has two runs in Victoria over the summer and failed to impress but going on his solid 790m trial win at Randwick on May 16 , he ’ s much better than that .
man who went 15 world championship rounds with two of heavyweight boxing ’ s greatest , Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier !
Sure , he didn ’ t get the bikkies in those memorable clashes , but his great boxing skills ensured he stayed out of trouble – yes , even against the lightning fast , will o ’ wisp Ali .
Joe fought the very best of his generation and his successes included wins against toprated men such as Brian London , Jimmy Ellis , Chuck Wepner and another fellow Briton , Henry “ The Hammer ” Cooper , the first man to put Ali onto his blurter .
That victory against Cooper on March 16 , 1971 , was his first success at the elite level and earned him three heavyweight belts – Commonwealth , European and British .
Joe had his first bout , a four rounder against a bloke called Paul Brown in London on December 20 , 1967 .
I couldn ’ t find out much about the bout , but Joe was stopped by the short route , so it wouldn ’ t have been much of a Merry Christmas for him five days later !
Joe did get square with Brown six fights on , scoring a technical knockout ( TKO ) during a 18 bout winning streak . Joe linked with Johnny Lewis in early 1996 after a two year “ retirement ” following a split decision loss to Swede , Steffen Tangstand in Copenhagen .
Joe was carrying a bit of puddin ’ when he arrived at Newtown PCYC , but the 36-year-old worked his butt off to get himself back into fighting trim .
Promoter , “ Bluegum ” Bill Mordey , found three opponents for Joe over the ensuing 10 months and he scored unanimous points decisions over Americans James Tillis , David Bey and Greg Page – none of whom were bums .
Joe then had a three month break before heading over to Sunny Lunny to fight the next-big-thing in British Boxing , the 11 years younger , Frank Bruno .
Always bit of a socialite , Joe and Marlene headed to England a month before Johnny Lewis could join him and a week before the scheduled bout .
Unfortunately , Joe put more time into promoting the bout and being manabout-town than in the gym !
And paid the price , Bruno winning on a TKO in the ninth round , although Joe kept protesting to the referee that he could have fought on .
Joe then retired for the second time , but the lure of the ring was too strong , and he came back to the fray in 1995 .
Over the next four years , he had nine bouts against journeymen , winning all but one of them .
His last stoush was at Jupiter ’ s Casino on June 13 , 1999 , when he won on disqualification against American , Levi Billups – the loser ’ s eighth defeat on the trot and also his boxing swansong .
Joe Bugner toed the line in 83 fights in a career spanning 22 years .
His 63 victories included 41 by the short route , losses tallied 13 and he had one draw .
Those who had their arms raised in victory against Joe included Ali ( twice ), Frazier , Ron Lyle , Ernie Shavers and another classy Briton , Jack Bodell .
“ Aussie ” Joe Bugner , thanks for the memories .
SAD MARKS : “ Aussie ” Joe being diagnosed with Alzheimer ’ s Disease .
HIGH MARKS : Remembering Joe entering Newtown PCYC , meeting Johnny Lewis and commencing a successful comeback .
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BLACKTOWN CITY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au ISSUE 15 // JUNE 2022 29