Does anyone think that Frank Bruno has become underrated?

[mr. magoo]

Not trying to sell Frank Bruno as a " great " fighter persay, but as an American boxing fan, I think that our friend from across the pond receives a great deal of undue crticism. He retired with a near 85% KO percentage, lost mostly to the division's best fighters in galant efforts, and does have the claim to briefly holding a world alphabet title. His list of wins over quality fighters is a tad slim, but he did manage to beat a prime McCall and looked rather impressive in easily demolishing some decent fighters who were a bit past it, yet still active. His skills were reasonably good and his physical conditioning was matched by almost none. He left boxing with a very impressive record of 40-5-0-38, and for whatever its worth, was one of Europe's best fighters for more than a decade.

Ironically, his own countryman seem to be his biggest critics, though I don't really know why...

Just something that was on my mind..

[janitor]

Ironically, his own countryman seem to be his biggest critics, though I don't really know why...


Well they say that if you scratch a cynic you will find a bruised romantic.

Personaly I look at his body of work and I see a fighter who built his resume by beating up tomatoe cans and lost whenever he stepped up in competition then started the cycle over again.

This makes me wary of picking him in fantasy match ups.

[mcvey]

Not trying to sell Frank Bruno as a " great " fighter persay, but as an American boxing fan, I think that our friend from across the pond receives a great deal of undue crticism. He retired with a near 85% KO percentage, lost mostly to the division's best fighters in galant efforts, and does have the claim to briefly holding a world alphabet title. His list of wins over quality fighters is a tad slim, but he did manage to beat a prime McCall and looked rather impressive in easily demolishing some decent fighters who were a bit past it, yet still active. His skills were reasonably good and his physical conditioning was matched by almost none. He left boxing with a very impressive record of 40-5-0-38, and for whatever its worth, was one of Europe's best fighters for more than a decade.

Ironically, his own countryman seem to be his biggest critics, though I don't really know why...

Just something that was on my mind..
Bruno was very carefully managed.Never a natural he had clubbing power and a hard jab ,but froze when tagged.I saw most of his fights leading up to his title challenges ,and some of his opposition was certainly les than stellar.I think he was fortunate to get a version of the title ,but their have been worse CHAMPS.
ps Its per se in the UK ,do you spell it differently in the States , as in colour - color ?

[mr. magoo]

Bruno was very carefully managed.Never a natural he had clubbing power and a hard jab ,but froze when tagged.I saw most of his fights leading up to his title challenges ,and some of his opposition was certainly les than stellar.I think he was fortunate to get a version of the title ,but their have been worse CHAMPS.
ps Its per se in the UK ,do you spell it differently in the States , as in colour - color ?

Yes, we have a number of different ways of spelling things

US UK

Favor Favour

Color Colour

per say Per se

And probably many others.

[mr. magoo]

Well they say that if you scratch a cynic you will find a bruised romantic.

Personaly I look at his body of work and I see a fighter who built his resume by beating up tomatoe cans and lost whenever he stepped up in competition then started the cycle over again.

This makes me wary of picking him in fantasy match ups.

You may be correct, though I think your assessment seems a tad simplistic. Nevertheless, your opinion seems to be the consensus of your region. I don't think that EVERY man he beat was a tomato can, and even when he stepped up in losing efforts, he performed bravely in most of those fights. People picked both Tyson and Lewis to completely anniolate him, yet they didn't. I would be willing to bet that if you asked just about every man who ever shared the same ring, they would probably describe him as being a very tough opponent..

[janitor]

You may be correct, though I think your assessment seems a tad simplistic. Nevertheless, your opinion seems to be the consensus of your region. I don't think that EVERY man he beat was a tomato can, and even when he stepped up in losing efforts, he performed bravely in most of those fights. People picked both Tyson and Lewis to completely anniolate him, yet they didn't. I would be willing to bet that if you asked just about every man who ever shared the same ring, they would probably describe him as being a very tough opponent..

His key career wins are over Coetze and McCall.

These are both solid wins but I think they both did him the favour of looking past him.

[mr. magoo]

His key career wins are over Coetze and McCall.

These are both solid wins but I think they both did him the favour of looking past him.


I think those men were just as " hit or miss " as Bruno was and perhaps even more so.

[lefthook31]

His key career wins are over Coetze and McCall.

These are both solid wins but I think they both did him the favour of looking past him.
I agree, although his fight with Mcall, he barely barely made it to the final bell. I agree with your first statement. The guy had the stamina of Shannon Briggs, horrible. He was effective in the early rounds and had a decent jab and right hand, but after midfight, he was pretty worthless.
I dont know if anyone has been to a Bruno fight, but his country loves him. I was at Tyson Bruno II and it was one hell of a party, even after Bruno got crushed.

[fists of fury]

For me, he was a good fighter, but Frank was never good enough to beat the elite of his era.
In the era of the early 80's alphabet soup champions I can see him winning a title, but losing it relatively quickly too. Would he have the beating of the likes of Thomas, Tubbs, Page etc?

I'd say he's a better version of Gary Mason basically. Good, just nothing special.

Oh and he was allowed to get away with murder in his fight with Coetzer too. Rabbit punches, low blows, elbows...the lot. Coetzer was too limited to beat Bruno sure, but the continual infractions didn't help his cause.

[PowerPuncher]

Bruno is underrated and today he would prosper maybe even be no1 HW today. Looking at who he was facing in his prime - Prime Tyson and Prime Lewis. And he gave both of the problems. Vitali gets props for been ahead when he was stopped against a Past Prime Lewis but Bruno was up against a Prime Lewis when he was stopped. He hurt Tyson early. He was inexperienced against Smith and Witherspoon but gave both problems early before tiring

Physically the man is a hell of a specimen, 1 of the best combinations of strength and athleticism at HW ever, he has an excellent effective jab, throws a brutal straight right, serious serious banger when he lands. He did freeze when he got hit and did fade after 6-7 rounds.

He doesnt have the greatest wins ofcourse, but he has some underrated 1s. McCall had just got off KO'ing Lewis and beating Holmes, Bruno smashed him early and put him in a shell and won a hard fought decision past his physical prime. Coetzee was still a decent contender when Bruno put him away in a round. Coetzer was a decent win and he seemed to be as impressive as Bowe against him. Against the journeymen Bruno fought he often put them away much quicker than other top contenders

Head to Head Bruno has the potential to KO some top HWs early.

[lefthook31]

Bruno is underrated and today he would prosper maybe even be no1 HW today. Looking at who he was facing in his prime - Prime Tyson and Prime Lewis. And he gave both of the problems. Vitali gets props for been ahead when he was stopped against a Past Prime Lewis but Bruno was up against a Prime Lewis when he was stopped. He hurt Tyson early. He was inexperienced against Smith and Witherspoon but gave both problems early before tiring

Physically the man is a hell of a specimen, 1 of the best combinations of strength and athleticism at HW ever, he has an excellent effective jab, throws a brutal straight right, serious serious banger when he lands. He did freeze when he got hit and did fade after 6-7 rounds.

He doesnt have the greatest wins ofcourse, but he has some underrated 1s. McCall had just got off KO'ing Lewis and beating Holmes, Bruno smashed him early and put him in a shell and won a hard fought decision past his physical prime. Coetzee was still a decent contender when Bruno put him away in a round. Coetzer was a decent win and he seemed to be as impressive as Bowe against him. Against the journeymen Bruno fought he often put them away much quicker than other top contenders

Head to Head Bruno has the potential to KO some top HWs early.
So did Shannon Briggs. I dont think this makes him underated what you are saying, it kind of puts him in perspective as to what he accomplished. He did win the title, barely.:hey I was happy for him, he had a good career.

[mcvey]

His key career wins are over Coetze and McCall.

These are both solid wins but I think they both did him the favour of looking past him.
Coetzee wasnt looking past Bruno ,,he came past me to get into the ring ,he jiggled as he walked ,and looked like Arreola ,he was at least 17lbs over his optimum weight,,he came for a pay day and promptly retired for a few years after this fight . Bruno was in the right place at the right time against MCall, and he barely held on against strangely passive Champion who did nothing for most of the fight.
I was as pleased as everyone else ,when Bruno finally hit the jack pot ,but he was never a real class fighter imo.
His best performances were losing ones imo.

[janitor]

I dont know if anyone has been to a Bruno fight, but his country loves him. I was at Tyson Bruno II and it was one hell of a party, even after Bruno got crushed.

After he beat McCall everybody was singing eye of the tiger in the streets.

I honestly don't know if any fighter has ever been loved more by the British public since the bareknuckle era.

[fists of fury]

Frank was a great guy, a very human fighter. Maybe too nice sometimes...

[mcvey]

After he beat McCall everybody was singing eye of the tiger in the streets.

I honestly don't know if any fighter has ever been loved more by the British public since the bareknuckle era.

I think the reception Randy Turpin got after he beat Robinson must have taken some beating

[janitor]

I think the reception Randy Turpin got after he beat Robinson must have taken some beating

It bloody well should have done.

[Seamus]

In a word, no.

[TBooze]

He was clever with publicity, and so was his team; remember this is a man who was expelled from school for laying out a teacher, so me thinks there was a dark side to him.

He kept it simple with his cliche you not what I mean 'arry and I am going on 'oliday to top up me tan.

And he looked impressive blowing out the opposition, but even in them days he took a lot of heat for some very poor opposition; his fight with Chuck Gardner topping the lot, but the public always forgave him, because of that simple everyman charm of his.

Also losing bravely got him as much kudos as any of his victories.

I think by 1986, most boxing analysts had worked him out, and I cannot think of a top 5 fighter he would of been favoured to beat.

If that is considered being underrated, then Bruno was indeed underrated. Personally I do not see any post WWII eras, where Bruno would of been a stand out top three fighter, even today....

[PowerPuncher]

I think by 1986, most boxing analysts had worked him out, and I cannot think of a top 5 fighter he would of been favoured to beat.

If that is considered being underrated, then Bruno was indeed underrated. Personally I do not see any post WWII eras, where Bruno would of been a stand out top three fighter, even today....

Not top 3 today? I don't see what he has to fear from most today, not many punchers, not many with good packages as a whole. He'd dominate Chagaev, KO Peter, smash Valuev. He might even take out Wlad and Haye with the state of their chins

[McGrain]

Bruno has an absolutley excellent chance to beat Wlad I think, though I would favour Steelhammer.

[Ste Hawkins]

Very underrated. Stunningly hard, fast, accurate jab. Strong backhand, good boxing skills and v. strong.

[TBooze]

Not top 3 today? I don't see what he has to fear from most today, not many punchers, not many with good packages as a whole. He'd dominate Chagaev, KO Peter, smash Valuev. He might even take out Wlad and Haye with the state of their chins

In the 80s, the big occasions got to Bruno, not necessarily the opponent. Bruno had it in him to beat Smith, and possible even Whitherspoon. But self doubt and tension got to him, and he lost.

I think Bruno in theory has an excellent chance against any of today's heavies. But put in a high pressured event against any of the top five, and I take the opposition every time. Bruno specialized in losing bravely, not winning ugly.....