Why Didn't Frank Bruno fight for the British title ?

[funso banjo baby]

Have you not been reading this thread then?

I skimmed it - But I wanted a list with dates. Quarless was obviously one.

Quarless never fought for British title.

Try this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Br ... _champions

interesting stats...

Danny Williams is the most successful British title holder since Henry Cooper.

[Galvanised Clout]

horace notice and the tragic rudi pika were the ones who might have also done bigger things.

Horace did really well when you consider he was little more than a Cruiser. Poor Rudi wonder what he could have achieved? Don't think he was ever fully committed to the game (he only managed 13 fights is 6 years as a pro) I remember him giving Bruno fits in the ABA final when he was only a teenager.

[Galvanised Clout]

Danny Williams is the most successful British title holder since Henry Cooper.

That fact makes Danny's current 'Latvian Trialhorse' campaign even more depressing.

[reggaereggae]

Have you not been reading this thread then?

I skimmed it - But I wanted a list with dates. Quarless was obviously one.

Quarless never fought for British title.

Try this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Br ... _champions

Ah thanks for that. So the title was also inactive for a few years in Bruno's early days;

[Galvanised Clout]

After Gardner retired the BBBC reckoned no one was good enough to box for title so it was put on ice for a while, then they sanctioned a fight between Gordon Ferris and Billy Aird (even though Ferris had already beaten Aird in an eliminator) which Ferris won on points

Neville Meade beat Ferris, then he bust his achilles and was out of action for ages.

David Pearce beat Meade then he had issues with his Brain Scan and the title was idle again while that was sorted.

Pearce lost his license so then we got the infamous Banjo v Currie contest for the vacant title.

[reggaereggae]

After Gardner retired the BBBC reckoned no one was good enough to box for title so it was put on ice for a while, then they sanctioned a fight between Gordon Ferris and Billy Aird (even though Ferris had already beaten Aird in an eliminator) which Ferris won on points

Neville Meade beat Ferris, then he bust his achilles and was out of action for ages.

David Pearce beat Meade then he had issues with his Brain Scan and the title was idle again while that was sorted.

Pearce lost his license so then we got the infamous Banjo v Currie contest for the vacant title.

Thanks. Amazing how small they look now compared to the modern heavy

[Galvanised Clout]

Thanks. Amazing how small they look now compared to the modern heavy

No bother mate

I was watching Gardner v Sykes a few weeks ago and thought the same thing, they looked tiny (Gardner in particular)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKQybvDMPz0

There was a fight in 77 between Britain's tallest pro and the heaviest. Neil Malpass a huge 6ft 5in and Smith an enormous 16st 13lbs, absolute monsters you must agree and (no disrespect but Smith's weight wasn't exactly muscle either)

Interesting bit of trivia, Smith was a former Water Polo player!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddTdZFndlr4

[misterpunch]

are we saying that the comparisons between noel quarless and teofilo stevenson end at a victory over john tate? surely not!

[Caustic]

Neil Malpass looks very spindly in that clip but he had a tremendous right hand, as his KO of Smith shows. Malpass also provides a link back to Quarless as there was an attempt to match the pair of them when Malpass made a comeback in the late 80s/early 90s. Malpass was Central Area champion and beat John Fury and Quarless had outpointed former WBA champion John Tate (this wasn't as impressive as it sounds though. It was Tate's last fight, he was about 20 stone and really was a shadow of his former self). I think the idea was thnat they would fight for Malpass' title but it never came off and both their careers petered out.

Regarding Gardner and Sykes: like many heavyweights of the time, Gardner was about 6 foot and would probably be a cruiserweight if he was around today. Sykes, on the other other hand, looks to me exactly as a heavyweight boxer should: 6' 3" and about 15 stone - very little fat but not muscle bound either. Just well conditioned and athletic.

Never knew about Malpass v Quarless could have been 'entertaining' both were very good 'on top' fighters who had a tendency to capitulate if things weren't going well.

I agree about Sykes, ideal build for a heavyweight (I'm certain there is some correlation between the ever increasing size of heavyweights and the diminishing standard of them?)

[Caustic]

Quarless had outpointed former WBA champion John Tate (this wasn't as impressive as it sounds though. It was Tate's last fight, he was about 20 stone and really was a shadow of his former self)

Can't vouch for the accuracy of this but I seem to recall the BBBC were a bit concerned about Tate's condition when he arrived in UK, he was given a standard medical and was found to be a touch under 19st, he assured the Board officials that he would be in better shape by fight night (think he was in UK a couple of weeks before) but (and I can't for the life of me recall what it was) he discovered some chocolate bar that wasn't available in States, ate it morning, noon and night and put over a stone on by the time he got into the ring.

[funso banjo baby]

Quarless had outpointed former WBA champion John Tate (this wasn't as impressive as it sounds though. It was Tate's last fight, he was about 20 stone and really was a shadow of his former self)

Can't vouch for the accuracy of this but I seem to recall the BBBC were a bit concerned about Tate's condition when he arrived in UK, he was given a standard medical and was found to be a touch under 19st, he assured the Board officials that he would be in better shape by fight night (think he was in UK a couple of weeks before) but (and I can't for the life of me recall what it was) he discovered some chocolate bar that wasn't available in States, ate it morning, noon and night and put over a stone on by the time he got into the ring.

at the time Funso Banjo v Greg Page weighed the heaviest in british history

[SamWise72]

The reality is that long British title reigns only happen for those who struggle to step up. in Coopers tine fighters were more active, and so he could defend the British and European titles, but if gee won the world title, do you think he would have gone on as British champ? Danny want good enough for the very top, and inconsistent at European level, so the British title was home for him. For the likes of Lewis, they were just passing through.

[funso banjo baby]

i would have thought every world title challenger before Bruno must have been the current or
one-time british champion ????

[bennie]

Bruno won the ABA heavyweight title in May 1980 but then required pioneering eye surgery in Colombia before the Board would licence him. It meant he didn't turn pro until March 1982 so there was time to make up for and Duff and Lawless slung him in with the muscled Jumbo Cummings, who had held old Joe Frazier to a draw, just a year later in 1983. The gamble nearly backfired but (already) Bruno was beyond the British title.

[JLP]

Bruno won the ABA heavyweight title in May 1980 but then required pioneering eye surgery in Colombia before the Board would licence him. It meant he didn't turn pro until March 1982 so there was time to make up for and Duff and Lawless slung him in with the muscled Jumbo Cummings, who had held old Joe Frazier to a draw, just a year later in 1983. The gamble nearly backfired but (already) Bruno was beyond the British title.

The way Frank locked up when Cummings caught him clean was almost comedic. An absolutely huge punch. It's miraculous that Bruno didn't get knocked over and out.

[funso banjo baby]

Bruno won the ABA heavyweight title in May 1980 but then required pioneering eye surgery in Colombia before the Board would licence him. It meant he didn't turn pro until March 1982 so there was time to make up for and Duff and Lawless slung him in with the muscled Jumbo Cummings, who had held old Joe Frazier to a draw, just a year later in 1983. The gamble nearly backfired but (already) Bruno was beyond the British title.

its crazy. the BBC were locked onto Bruno from day one, to their credit.
by about fight 14 he was unofficially topping a sell out bill at wembley against Scott Ledoux, former holmes challenger.
what set Bruno apart was the sheer clean power that he had in every shot. only David Price has really shown that since (IMO)

[Old bones Ian]

Found this video of Neil Malpass, quite an amusing commetary as Harry Carpenter is in wonder at a 16stone heavyweight, god knows what he would make of the guys today. Also watch for the ending as this is possibly the worst 'why did you stop it ref' moment i can recall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddTdZFndlr4

[misterpunch]

spot on! "what!! come on ref!! i aint had enough right hands yet" actually malpass DIDNT throw enough right hands! if he was a real contender he would have stopped smith within 2 minutes.

16st 10lbs was it? i'm bigger than that and ruffly the same height as smith...gotta get some roadwork in pre-xmas i think :(

[funso banjo baby]

wow

Malpass is built like gary stretch

[loaded_gloves]

Didn't Neil Malpass used to post on this board?

Also, I thought Tate beat Quarless. Pretty dubious decision. Tate was morbidly obese, completely shot, and this supposedly dangerous and bit hitting Quarless never made the slightest dent in him. Nothing at all. Any Bruno would have clubbed that version of Tate, probably in one round.

[loaded_gloves]

Quarless laid on his back and screamed his head off, as if he had just been given the decision over a 1967 Muhammad Ali.

Tate didn't understand the rules - he didn't know the ref had given the fight to Quarless. He was happy with his performance and his team had to explain there would be no judges announcement - he had already lost. You saw him go 'WHAT??!' and he looked like he was about to run amok.

[ERIC GUY]

Quarless had outpointed former WBA champion John Tate (this wasn't as impressive as it sounds though. It was Tate's last fight, he was about 20 stone and really was a shadow of his former self)

Can't vouch for the accuracy of this but I seem to recall the BBBC were a bit concerned about Tate's condition when he arrived in UK, he was given a standard medical and was found to be a touch under 19st, he assured the Board officials that he would be in better shape by fight night (think he was in UK a couple of weeks before) but (and I can't for the life of me recall what it was) he discovered some chocolate bar that wasn't available in States, ate it morning, noon and night and put over a stone on by the time he got into the ring.

I filmed John training, he used to go running on the golf course next to Profiles in st mary cray, he was a nice guy, one of Maloneys early shows, good old days.

[oliverfennell]

Yep I think he should have fought for it. It's crazy he didn't.

Similarly, none of Benn, Eubank nor Hamed fought for a British title either.

[lukep]

Two Words ....

David Pearce!!!!!

Pearce in 1983 was an Animal you only have to watch his destruction
Of Gordon Ferris which Boxing News picked him to lose to see why no
One wanted a piece of David Pearce.

I'm not saying Bruno wasn't good and later on he became a worthy World Champion
But at the period in time David was in his peak and had tremendous Power and a great chin!

He was also explosive and had a great Fighting style
He was a throwback

He had only lost once as his DQ was punching whilst his opponent was on the floor but to be fair
The guy was down for the 5th time and should have been waved off!

It was a time where you had to come from London to be looked after or move to London with the big promoters.

Dick Richardson Begged David to move to London as he had contacts and beloved he could win the a World Title.

He didn't have the manager or Promotional people to get him the big fights even Noel Quarless said Pearce was ducked and avoided!

It's a shame he didn't fight at Cruiserweight or even Light Heavyweight as a number of people in Boxing believe he would have become a world champion.

He was a true Gentleman

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Two Words ....

David Pearce!!!!!

Oh give over!

Massive respect to David Pearce though, he was a good fighter but he would have made an excellent light heavyweight - if you see him in the fight against Pantera Rodriguez who himself was a small (if solidly built) heavyweight, he was even dwarfed by him.

Bruno easily KO'd Lucien Rodriguez less than a year after Rodriguez outboxed Pearce. Pearce would have got 4 rounds with Bruno but it would have ended badly for him.

Pearce was brave, tough and aggressive but like how Dennis Andries was outweighed by a stone and was stopped by Pearce - a Pearce being outweighted by two stone would have got the same beating.

If you are a relative Luke, massive respect to David Pearce, lots to admire about him, but this forum is about truths and the truth is, Bruno would have beaten Pearce pretty one sidedly.