Frank Bruno rabbit-punches opponent into oblivion

[oliverfennell]

I'd vote this as one of the dirtiest boxing performances ever, but it is rarely remembered for that. Just count how many rabbit punches he lands!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktApvPtOutM

[ERIC GUY]

At least he won the world title!!!

[oliverfennell]

Point being?

[oliverfennell]

Interesting that Harry Carpenter describes Jesse Ferguson as "portly"... he actually looks in good shape compared to the heavyweights of today!

[toppity]

There were plenty, but many seemed to landed on or near the temple as well. The ref' didn't seem to be in the best spot for seeing them land either. It's like holding isn't it? fighters get away with what they can.

[bennie]

Bruno developed a nasty streak when George Francis took over as trainer (and did a superb job). Personally, I enjoyed the change. He never even knew how to hold let alone hit and hold prior to the late Francis.

[Roars Like Me]

Interesting that Harry Carpenter describes Jesse Ferguson as "portly"... he actually looks in good shape compared to the heavyweights of today!

I'd say the top 3 Heavies (Klits and Haye) are as a fit (phyically speaking) as any era and the fatties have always been there don't you think?

[Flump]

Bruno developed a nasty streak when George Francis took over as trainer (and did a superb job). Personally, I enjoyed the change. He never even knew how to hold let alone hit and hold prior to the late Francis.

Verry true, I think the best Bruno was the period was the early 90's where he beat Ribalta, Coetzer and Williams, he was (for him) definitley more relaxed.

[JC]

That was actually the first fight I ever saw, would have been about 10.

Next fight I remember watching was Benn vs McClellan, I was pretty much hooked from then.

[Captain Hook]

God yeah I remember this but he did it all the time, he did it with Tyson at every opportunity as well, especially in the first round.

[stujones]

Bruno - post Tyson 1 especially was a very dirty fighter.

[oliverfennell]

God yeah I remember this but he did it all the time, he did it with Tyson at every opportunity as well, especially in the first round.

Yes he did it a lot and as others have said, he especially developed a "dirty streak" after the first Tyson fight, but this one bout was like pure, condensed, rabbit-punching hell! He almost didn't throw anything else.

[oliverfennell]

Interesting that Harry Carpenter describes Jesse Ferguson as "portly"... he actually looks in good shape compared to the heavyweights of today!

I'd say the top 3 Heavies (Klits and Haye) are as a fit (phyically speaking) as any era and the fatties have always been there don't you think?

There is definitely a greater proportion of fatties today. The Klitschkos and Haye are the minority. Even as recently as the 90s a heavyweight was considered to be over-heavy once he got to 240 or so; now they almost all weigh 250-270 (and I don't just mean the tall ones who weigh that and look good, such as the Klitschkos - I mean shorter guys with soft bodies.

Ferguson lacked definition but he wasn't fat. Compare him to, say, Arreola, Chambers, Peter, Toney, McCline, Rahman, Williams, Solis and more. These are not journeymen/trialhorses like Ferguson was, they are contenders. In the 90s the only top-flight heavyweights who couldn't maintain good physiques were Bowe, Holmes and Foreman, with the latter two getting a pass because they were in their 40s. More common were the likes of Bruno, Holyfield, Ruddock, Lewis, Tyson, Golota, Morrison, etc - big, strong guys with low body fat and effectively muscled.

And that's just going back one decade; need I point out the fitness levels of the 70s?

[Carbo]

Funny, this. I was actually revisiting a few weeks ago some of the old Bruno fights, and what amazed me was (1) how much fitter the fighters were in general -- some of the patsies were fatty, but not the top men, bar Bowe -- and (2) how much more interesting the fights were. The fighters threw more punches, moved well, and showed real skills.

In short, they looked like actual boxers, just bigger, whereas these days heavyweight boxing is almost as removed from, say, welterweight boxing, in terms of what you see happen in the ring, as amateur boxing is removed from the pro ranks.

[whicker]

Jesse Ferguson was no bum, though- he fought many of the top or nearly top heavyweights of the era- lost most all of them, to be sure, but never the less he was fighting at that level .


Watching that video makes him look more like one of those shocking Eastern European Journeymen we occassionally see being brought over. (the sort of guys the Olympians are given to beat etc)

[oliverfennell]

Carbo - agree completely. The entertainment value of heavyweight boxing is directly linked to the fitness of the combatants. Even Lennox Lewis, at a muscled 6'5", was considered too heavy if he went over 245 - nowadays that sort of weight is virtually the norm, for shorter and/or less muscled heavyweights.

Whicker - Ferguson indeed was no bum. Some good upset wins and usually went the distance. Nobody beat him as quickly as Bruno, with only a prime Bowe coming close - although how much did the original point of this post (the rabbit punches) contribute to that?

[Carbo]

Carbo - agree completely. The entertainment value of heavyweight boxing is directly linked to the fitness of the combatants. Even Lennox Lewis, at a muscled 6'5", was considered too heavy if he went over 245 - nowadays that sort of weight is virtually the norm, for shorter and/or less muscled heavyweights.

Frank Bruno would be a serious contender these days.

Sure, he would still have the problems with the chin; but would the stamina issue be quite such a serious thing in this day of two punches a round? And besides, the so called best heavyweight in the world has exactly the same problems, but he's one of the best two heavyweights in the world in an era when number three is so far behind that he needs a telescope to see Vlad's ass.

Seriously: heavyweight boxing these days is as different a sport as the amateur game.

EDIT: It has suddenly struck me that this is like when someone is on a diet. When you live with that person, or see them every day, the change is slow, and you don't notice it, except occassionally when you see major differences in, say, the new clothes they're buying. But if it's someone you know and don't see for a year, between which time they've lost fifty pounds, then you notice all of a sudden and think it's a massive change.

It's the same with heavyweight boxing. We see that it's different, and probably not as good, but then when you go and look at fights from just ten to fifteen years ago -- not even the great fights, but ones involving, say, Bruno, who was, let's face it, a second tier boxer at best -- you see a huge difference.

[whicker]

Whicker - Ferguson indeed was no bum. Some good upset wins and usually went the distance. Nobody beat him as quickly as Bruno, with only a prime Bowe coming close - although how much did the original point of this post (the rabbit punches) contribute to that?

Hard to say, but Ferguson did next to nothing- it's a little surprising that a fighter of his experience didn't put up more opposition- or in the least, make a fuss about the rabbit punches.

[overhand_right]

That was actually the first fight I ever saw, would have been about 10.

Next fight I remember watching was Benn vs McClellan, I was pretty much hooked from then.

Exactly the same as me - except for i was 12 and not 10.

Saw Bruno/Ferguson in 94 then Benn/McClellan a year later!

Almost eerie!

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

I'd vote this as one of the dirtiest boxing performances ever, but it is rarely remembered for that. Just count how many rabbit punches he lands!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktApvPtOutM

Its actually mainly right hooks and allot land on the top of the head and not on the back of the head, its the opponents job not to turn away from punches, you can be DQ'ed for turning your back, so Bruno isn't actually being that dirty

[Captain Hook]

Yeah but 90% of the time he is holding with the other hand and did in many fights...

[hurlock]

for eff sake they are two grown men,the guy was clubbed to the floor so what,i bet the fan's enjoyed it rather then the 12rd hug off!!
the ref didnt put a stop to it,is the other guy incapable off doing it back??

i once saw eric guy do this in an unlicsend bout,couldnt believe he got away with doing it to the ref DD

[Roco]

Bruno was also very dirty against Coetzer and Williams. I remember in one of these he fainted with a jab and threw an elbow in front of the ref and got away with just a warning.

Mason used to slate Bruno for fighting dirty in the studio and say that anybody else this would be unacceptable but if our Frank does it, it's alright.

[oliverfennell]

Yep, he was actually praised for showing more ruthlessness than before.

[bennie]

F uck me, what about Witherspoon smashing him several times when he was down. Bruno learned (under Francis) that he had to get just as nasty as the Americans to win a world title.