A SAD SITUATION
Rudi Lubbers, who took Ali and Bugner the distance, has fallen on hard times
RUDI LUBBERS has recently been found living in dire circumstances in rural Bulgaria. Back in 1973, he lasted the full 12 rounds in a contest with Muhammad Ali. He also took Joe Bugner the distance in a 15-rounder for the European heavyweight title earlier in the same year. Living without water, heating or electricity, and with a very sick wife, Dutch fight fans are trying to raise the funds to bring him home. Rudi represented the Netherlands in both the 1964 and 1968 Olympics. Like many ex-fighters, he had a tough time coping after his career ended. He served four years in a Portuguese prison for drug trafficking in the 1980s and he then found work with a travelling fairground, before becoming homeless 20 years ago.
Rudi boxed against three British fighters at different stages of his career. As an up-and-coming unbeaten heavyweight in 1970, he clashed with Lloyd Walford over eight rounds in Amsterdam. Walford, from Chesterfield and a Jamaican by birth, fought four British heavyweight champions in a 67bout career. He won 27 of these fights and was an old-school journeyman of the kind we rarely see in today’s game. Inevitably, Lloyd lost to Rudi on points.
A little over two years later and with Rudi now the Dutch champion and undefeated in 22 outings, he was matched against Bugner for the European title. Rudi was now at the peak of his form and this was his big chance. Bugner, however, was a very tall order, and even Rudi’s own fans thought that he might be overmatched. At the time, Bugner was highly rated in the world rankings, while Lubbers was nowhere near in comparison. Joe had been promised a bout with Ali the following month. All he had to do was beat Lubbers, and do it in style. Bugner often had problems looking good, despite the very many victories that he had. In our preview, we remarked: “If Joe stinks the place out, heaven forbid, the Ali match will lose much of its appeal and the prospect of Lubbers beating Bugner is just too awful to consider.”
The two met at the Royal Albert Hall in January 1973, and our headline summed the bout up: “Just not good enough, Joe.” Bugner won by the proverbial mile, but he was unable to put Rudi away. The Dutchman continually whacked Bugner with hooks and crosses throughout the contest, and he proved an awkward and durable foe. The pair each crossed swords with Ali in their next fights, and both went the distance with the great man.
Lubbers met Ali in Jakarta, Indonesia, in October 1973. The promoters had hoped for a gate of 125,000, but only about a fifth of this number turned up on the night. Predictably, Rudi was outclassed from the start, but he showed considerable gameness in standing up to everything Ali threw at him. He left the ring with his face a mass of bumps and bruises, but with his reputation intact.
After the Ali clash, Rudi’s career hit the skids. He boxed 12 more times, winning six and losing six. Among the highlights were two wins over a future Ali opponent – Belgium’s Jean-pierre Coopman. Rudi outpointed him in 1974 and then stopped him in five rounds six years later. Sandwiched between these two contests was his third fight against a British opponent. Today, Terry O’connor is best known as a top referee. He has recently retired from his duties as third man but, like fellow referee Dave Parris, he once exchanged blows with many of Britain’s leading heavyweights. Terry boxed British champions Danny Mcalinden and Gordon Ferris, and he also drew against European titlist Alfredo Evangelista. Rudi and Terry fought each other in Rotterdam, with Terry losing a close and disputed decision to the Dutchman.
It would be good to see Lubbers back in his home country again, so that he can live out his final years with the dignity and respect he deserves.