Joe Bugner, a heavyweight boxer who challenged Muhammad Ali twice, died on 1 September 2025 at the age of 75. His career spanned decades, during which he held British, Commonwealth, and European heavyweight titles. Bugner's life also included acting roles, battles with illness, and a modest net worth shaped by boxing and other ventures.
Born Jozsef Kreul Bugner on 13 March 1950 in Szőreg, Hungary, he and his family fled to Britain following the 1956 Soviet invasion. Standing 6 ft 4 in tall and weighing around 16 stone 1lb (102 kg) in his prime, Bugner started boxing as a teenager. At 17, he won the ABA light heavyweight title and soon after turned professional.
