BoxRec

Posted: **26 Feb 2021, 03:43**

Documentary on Sky at 9 tonight. Looking forward to it. Still remember Harry Carpenter screaming "Get in there Frank!"

Posted: **26 Feb 2021, 06:09**

Shhhh wrote: ↑26 Feb 2021, 05:20 Imsure I saw a clip with Bruno saying something like if Tyson hadn't been around he would of dominated lol

Yes, I saw that. He said he would have reigned supreme. I wonder if the programme will try to rewrite history and portray Bruno as the other heavyweight out there back then.

Posted: **26 Feb 2021, 06:37**

It's available from the 'On Demand' library if anyone with Sky wanted to watch it before the showing at 9pm tonight.

Posted: **26 Feb 2021, 07:33**

Bruno put in a really good effort in the first fight

It turned out to be an entertaining contest.

Posted: **26 Feb 2021, 08:07**

Just watched the documentary. It was ok. I quite liked the meeting at the end, really nice to see 2 old champs meet up.

Nothing in the docu that's new but worth the watch

Posted: **26 Feb 2021, 08:45**

Bruno seemed a better fighter with the lower bodyweight in this fight, rather than the stone heavier he was 2 and a half years later against John Emmen. Presumably the extra lean muscle mass would have only come by an increased use of PEDs, as no doubt his natural potential was long tapped out. Similarly the stone increase by Lewis post Bruno fight to the post McCall 1 era was probably similarly fuelled.

Posted: **26 Feb 2021, 11:13**

Always thought 2 things about both Bruno vs Tyson fights.

Fight 1 - Whilst it was undoubtedly a brave effort against a fighter who clearly hadn't prepared correctly I think the performance is somewhat overated. He had exhumed so much nervous engery that by the 3rd he was hardly throwing punches and was too knackered to get off the jab. In reality he lost every round and the big round 1 he had was technically 10-8 Tyson.

Brave effort yes, aside from 1 shot was he ever competitive - no.

Fight 2 - Often get criticised and people say how much Bruno froze, and citing the number of times he crossed his chest - yes he did, but Bruno did this always anyway. Bruno was older and slower and while so was Tyson, who had also lost his jab, Bruno's extra bulk made him even slower. It is actually similar in many ways to fight 1, minus the one glory moment. Bruno was far to bulky and slow to take advantages of a Tyson who was fighting in straight lines and only throwing bombs. Again nervous energy meant he was tired earlier - and Tyson landed the heavy blow a bit earlier this time - but in the main I think this fight is harshly looked at from a Bruno point of view. Wasn't great obviously but I thought he fought scared in both fights really.

Posted: **26 Feb 2021, 12:28**

By the time Bruno fought Tyson, he'd already come up short against Smith (although he was winning going into the last round) and Witherspoon where, although he started quite brightly, he was knackered and on the defensive when he was stopped. I don't think anyone could sensibly claim he was the best out there apart from Tyson.

Posted: **26 Feb 2021, 13:30**

I do wonder how big Frank would have fared against some of the better heavyweights of the time. I'd have loved him to have been paired with the likes of Pinklon Thomas, Tony Tubbs, Tony Tucker etc.
Beating up the likes of Chuck Gardner, John Emmen and Rodolfo Marin didn't really prove anything. I do rate Frank though and his win against McCall shouldn't be overlooked but put in with some better opponents on a regular basis would have been interesting to see.

Posted: **26 Feb 2021, 21:14**

The second fight was during that time Tyson had those gangsters in his corner in black coats and top hats wasn’t it? They looked like seriously bad mofos to be fair.

Didn’t someone on here say Frank got handed a note in the dressing room that if he won he’d be shot by someone in the crowd?

Posted: **27 Feb 2021, 05:30**

Bruno totally froze against Tyson in the second fight. I'm guessing he didn't forget the beating he took in the first fight. Bruno gave all he had against against McCall, that was clear in the 12th round, any longer McCall would have caught him. That was a gruelling fight for Frank and possibly couldn't get back to that mental fitness especially against Mike.

He had no choice to take that fight and knew he was in for another slaughter, so I'm thinking he did his best knowing as soon as that bell rings I'm effed!

Given a different opponent Bruno may have defended the title but ideally should have retired after McCall but when faced with a huge payday against Tyson he did the brave thing and went in for another beating.

Without a doubt Bruno could bang but his body was all wrong for a boxer. His body fat would have been less than 10% and he was too upright and lacked foot work and mobility. When chinned he had no defence skills, but what he lacked in the ring he gained with tons of personality.

Unfortunately Bruno had ties with Don King after beating McCall and was used as a sacrificial lamb for Tyson's return.

Posted: **27 Feb 2021, 11:52**

MasterG wrote: ↑27 Feb 2021, 05:30
Unfortunately Bruno had ties with Don King after beating McCall and was used as a sacrificial lamb for Tyson's return.

Frank had to sign up to fight Tyson in his first defence in order to get the title shot against McCall. Both US fighters were controlled by DK and as far as I know, the Tyson fights and those against McCall and Witherspoon were the only dealings big Frank had with Don King. And by this time it was Mr W@rren doing the deals with King

Posted: **27 Feb 2021, 12:45**

I notice they got the year wrong early on in the program when it said Tyson was champion in 1984

Most of that was rehashed from the Tyson documentary and one they did on Bruno. Still enjoyed it though.

Posted: **27 Feb 2021, 15:31**

I’ve always wondered why Bruno looked so intimidated on his way to the ring in the second Tyson fight. Yet the first one seemed completely the opposite. Would that have been a Ito do with mental health issues? Or something else?

Posted: **27 Feb 2021, 15:36**

Shhhh wrote: ↑26 Feb 2021, 05:20 Imsure I saw a clip with Bruno saying something like if Tyson hadn't been around he would of dominated lol

He did.

He might have dominated the comedy circuit, but not the HW division in the early 90s, that's for sure.

Posted: **27 Feb 2021, 15:40**

jameswilson wrote: ↑26 Feb 2021, 21:14 The second fight was during that time Tyson had those gangsters in his corner in black coats and top hats wasn’t it? They looked like seriously bad mofos to be fair.

Didn’t someone on here say Frank got handed a note in the dressing room that if he won he’d be shot by someone in the crowd?

That's right, along with the idiot in camouflage gear & sunglasses that he hired to shout at his opponents because Tyson himself wasn't intimidating anymore, although Bruno might disagree with me.

Posted: **27 Feb 2021, 15:53**

I wonder if he was worried about the long term effects on his vision

Posted: **27 Feb 2021, 18:10**

I was happy to see bruno win the title after all the heartbreak from before. That was his day and losing to tyson at the end was worth the high for him and his fans

Posted: **27 Feb 2021, 18:35**

Syntax Error wrote: ↑27 Feb 2021, 15:40
jameswilson wrote: ↑26 Feb 2021, 21:14 The second fight was during that time Tyson had those gangsters in his corner in black coats and top hats wasn’t it? They looked like seriously bad mofos to be fair.

Didn’t someone on here say Frank got handed a note in the dressing room that if he won he’d be shot by someone in the crowd?
That's right, along with the idiot in camouflage gear & sunglasses that he hired to shout at his opponents because Tyson himself wasn't intimidating anymore, although Bruno might disagree with me. :

He was nicknamed “crocodile” if memory serves me correct

Posted: **28 Feb 2021, 03:27**

I remember watching the first Tyson-Bruno clash and thinking how bad Tyson looked. He loaded up all night and won on sheer brute strength and raw power. Boxing played no part in his victory. Azumah Nelson stole the show with a dazzling 12-round stoppage of Mexico's dangerous Mario Martinez. Nelson's finishing punches had Martinez out on his feet. James "Buster" Douglas also boxed on the bill and outscored faded former champion Trevor Berbick in a near-empty arena. Nobody was watching, least of all Tyson.

Posted: **28 Feb 2021, 03:48**

bennie wrote: ↑28 Feb 2021, 03:27 I remember watching the first Tyson-Bruno clash and thinking how bad Tyson looked. He loaded up all night and won on sheer brute strength and raw power. Boxing played no part in his victory.

That's right. It was the first fight, where Tyson already showed some decline. The split with Rooney affected it. Tyson fought primitive against Bruno, majorly he was just headhunting.

Bruno was just a good opponent for Tyson. He has never been special in a terms of boxing skills. He majorly relied on his physical strength and punching power, while he was quite robotic, hittable and bothered when got hit. That's why he was so dirty fighter.

In the second fight Bruno was just doing everything to survive and not to engage, but Tyson still had enough of himself to overwhelm Bruno again.

Posted: **28 Feb 2021, 03:53**

Tyson was already in self destruct mode. Rowing with his wife and mother in law and smashing his car into trees.

Posted: **01 Mar 2021, 14:24**

high tower 1 wrote: ↑28 Feb 2021, 03:53 Tyson was already in self destruct mode. Rowing with his wife and mother in law and smashing his car into trees.

True.

All the discipline and stabilising influences had gone, just at the very time he needed them.

Posted: **01 Mar 2021, 16:26**

I think people forget aside from the one punch, Bruno did alot of holding and hitting in fight 1. There was alot of fear there in the fight also. Whilst Richard Steel was Tysons favourite ref, he was quite right to dock a point in the opener

He was guilty of similar holding and hitting in fight 2....yes even more

Posted: **02 Mar 2021, 07:58**

It was ok but a rehash of old clips and the meeting at the end was a bit manufactured, they had met a few years earlier to do a speaking tour or Tyson's one man show, can't remember which (there was another documentary on that), but Tyson was virtually blanking him most of the time behind the scenes, whilst Bruno was just quiet and looking miserable.

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