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When Hungarian-born European Boxing Champion, Joe Bugner, was in
Kuala Lumpur in June, 1975, to challenge World Heavyweight Champion
Muhammad Ali for his crown, the V.I. Interact Club managed to
arrange a midday visit to the school by Bugner, who was then in
intensive training at the Equatorial Hotel. Bugner had previously
met Ali in 1973 who had won a 12-round decision over him.
Victorians were allowed time off from lessons to attend a special assembly in the School Hall to welcome the British boxer. They greeted his arrival with shouts of "Bugner! Bugner!" The 25-year-old Bugner read out a poem written by a Fifth Former urging him to beat his opponent. The European Champion spent about half an hour at the school. Unfortunately, on June 30, in the title fight which was televised worldwide from the Merdeka Stadium just behind the school, the Victorians' favourite lost again, this time in a 15-round decision to Muhammad Ali. Bugner went on, in later years, to become WBF Heavyweight Champion, Australian Heavyweight Champion and PABA Heavyweight Champion. He now resides in Australia.
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