November 2025

FINISHING SHOTS By Tom Gray

BRAVE BUGNER: On July 2, 1973, Englishman Joe Bugner dropped a razor- thin decision to Smokin’ Joe Frazier at Earls Court in London. This was the second time in less than five months that Bugner, who was just 23 years old at the time, pushed a great former heavyweight champion the full 12 rounds. In February of that year, an in-form Muhammad Ali didn’t come close to stopping Bugner in Las Vegas before claiming a unanimous decision.

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