By Terence Dooley

Former world heavyweight challenger Joe Bugner has confirmed that he has successfully battled cancer and is making a recovery.  The 68-year-old has told The Sun that his doctor attributed the skin cancer to too many hours in the sun.

Bugner has lived in Australia since 1986 and has remained there, appearing in TV show I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! since retiring from the sport for good in 1999. 

A former British, Commonwealth and European Champion, he defeated Henry Cooper for the titles at Wembley in 1971, Bugner said that he feels good following his bout with cancer.

“Anywhere in the world I've been proud to show off my pecs, but the sun's rays were cooking me like a piece of meat,” he said.  “I'm very happy now and back training.  I feel so good I'm thinking about another comeback.  Anthony Joshua, you'd better look out.”

Bugner lost to Muhammad Ali on two occasions — decision defeats in 1973 and 1975 respectively — as well as suffering defeats at the hands of Joe Frazier (L12 in 1973) and Frank Bruno (TKO 8 in 1987). 

However, he made a late career comeback in the mid-1990s, picking up the lightly-regarded WBF title by beating James Smith in 1998 before bowing out of boxing for good after winning by DQ against Levi Billups the following year.

IN OTHER NEWS: Dennis Hobson says Liam Cameron would KO British Middleweight Champion Tommy Langford within eight rounds should they ever meet, after Cameron’s win over Nick Jenman at the Ice Sheffield Arena on April 27.

Commonwealth Middleweight Champion Cameron progressed to 21-5 (9) and made short work of Jenman, stopping the Brighton fighter at the very end of the second round in the first defence of his crown.

The opening round was evenly-paced, with ‘Cannonball’ Cameron gauging what his opponent had before, as the second session drew to a close, unleashing a huge right hand that felled Jenman, 20-11-1 (3), heavily. ; Bravely, the challenger rose to his feet, but referee Terry O’Connor waved it over as the bell sounded.

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