in the interview Ali was sticking up for up for bugner because parkinson was saying that bugner had no class so Ali decided to point out bugners strong points.he knew that bugner was a small name on the world stage and the money to be made wouldn't stack up to the numbers he could reach in a Joe frazier rematch.in no way way shape or form did Ali ever duck bugner.he was merely stating that bugner was no push over and should be respected.
Nobody who steps through the ropes and engages in a boxing match is a coward, it takes a level of guts and spine to do it whether you do it well or poorly doesn't enter into the equation. No matter what Bugner brought into the ring, it wouldn't have been enough to beat Ali, and odds are Khan or Maidana would both be big underdogs against Floyd.
Muhammad Ali was bitter in 1972.
He had previously lost to Joe Frazier and he was struggling with some top contenders.
In 1972 Joe Bugner had recent losses to Larry Middleton, Jack Bondell, Dick Hall & Paul Brown. They were ALL nobodies, Bugner also had a draw to a nobody and he never won a world title at the time.
Meanwhile Joe Frazier was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and he was undefeated.
Joe Frazier was a far tougher opponent than Bugner EVER was and it became obvious when Ali fought Bugner twice.
The reason Ali said this was in an attempt to discredit the champion who took his 0 [Joe Frazier]. Ali was also trying to make hype for a Bugner fight [which happened the following year in 1973].
The thing is that Ali fought prime Joe Frazier first and Frazier was actually the best heavyweight at the time [better than Bugner unless you believe the hype Ali tried to make]. Ali also fought Bugner the following year.
Nether Maidana or Khan are the best at 147lbs. Timothy Bradley, Demetrius Andrade, Lara and even Carlos Molina have done more in their weight than Maidana or Khan have done at 147lbs. Khan doesn't even have a title at 147lbs while Maidana only recently won a paper title at 147lbs [0 title defenses].
Nope it doesn't make Ali look like a coward. I don't know anyone that was really ducking Joe Bugner....lol
Did this make Ali look like a coward?
At the time ,Joe Bugner was a top contender and Ali said Bugner had a quick sneaky punch and the risk of fighting him out weighed the reward and Ali wanted the fight that paid the most money which was a rematch with Joe Frazier.
Is Floyd Mayweather a coward for taking the bigger money fight with Amir Khan instead of fighting Marcos Maidana for less?
