Brit battler slugged it out with Ali

NEVER went into a boxing ring to hurt anybody," he said in his 2013 autobiography, which is perhaps not what you expect to hear from a boxer.

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Nevertheless the British heavyweight champion and "gentle giant" twice went the distance with Muhammad Ali and beat Henry Cooper in 1971.

But the then 21-year-old was never really forgiven by the British public for defeating Cooper at Wembley, in a points decision that remains one of the most controversial in boxing.

During a 32-year career, Bugner, who was 6ft 4ins with "the body of a Greek statue" only suffered 13 defeats in 83 professional fights. Yet that contentious victory against Cooper haunted him.

"I wish I'd never had that fight. I won, but I lost everything. I was hated for it and was hounded out of the country I love," he said.