A night with Joe Bugner and Earnie Shavers

Arguably two of the best boxers in the division never to win world titles will recount their lives, times and tales of their careers on Saturday May 17.

Bugner holds a razor-thin victory over the late Henry Cooper, which was awarded to him by a quarter of a point with lone official Harry Gibbs in 1971.

The triple national of Hungary, Britain and Australia is a former British, Australian, Commonwealth and European champion, also competing for WBA and WBC world titles.

He twice went the distance with the great Muhammad Ali, the second with the two world belts on the line. He's also shared a ring with Joe Frazier, Frank Bruno and Shavers himself.

It was Bugner who lost after two rounds with Shavers in 1982 on cuts after what was a bloodbath, having already been knocked down in the first session.

Bugner, Ali and Larry Holmes all name-checked 'the Acorn' as the hardest hitter they had ever been in with, but he never won more than a national title.

Shavers had 'the Greatest' in all sorts of trouble when they boxed for the WBA and WBC belts in 1977, battering him towards the end if the fight in what was termed 'Ali's Desperate Hour.'

The champion escaped with the decision on points, after fight doctor Ferdie Pacheco earlier urged him to retire. Ali later said: "Earnie hit me so hard, it shook my kin-folk back in Africa."

Holmes concurred on the record after they met for the WBC crown in 1980. Shavers floored him in the seventh, before 'the Easton Assassin' climbed off the canvas to knock him out in the 11th.

'The Destroyer' and 'Aussie Joe' are now headed to the Black Country for a special event, sponsored by Tile Choice. Master of Ceremonies is Simon Abbotts, from the BBC's 'The One and Only.'

Tickets are £500 for a table of eight people, which includes a four-course meal. For more information, call Gary Bate on 07815 512 623 or John Harpin on 07742 799 562.