Former Heavyweight Boxer Joe Bagner Dies at 75

Joe Bagner, who had a notable boxing career and fought the legendary Muhammad Ali, has died at the age of 75.

He passed away in a nursing home in Brisbane, Australia, a sad confirmation from the British Boxing Committee. They expressed their condolences for Bagner’s family during this difficult time.

Bagner was perhaps best known for his matches with top fighters, including a pivotal bout against Henry Cooper in 1971. Despite some early acclaim, he struggled to maintain championship status after losing those titles later that year.

His first encounter with Ali took place in 1973, in a non-title match in Las Vegas. Although Bagner managed to hold his ground, Ali won on points. Just months later, he faced Joe Frazier in London, again losing by decision.

The most intense of his battles, though, may have been in 1975 against Ali in Kuala Lumpur. They both fought hard, but Ali emerged victoriously once again after a grueling 15 rounds.

After a 32-year career, Bagner moved to Australia in 1999. He dealt with dementia in later years and spent his final days in a skilled nursing facility.

Overall, Bagner’s professional record was 69 wins, 14 losses across 83 fights, with 41 of those victories coming by way of knockout.

Born in Hungary, Bagner fled to Britain as a child during the 1956 Soviet invasion, before eventually making a name for himself in the boxing world.