James Smith vs. Frank Bruno
Frank Bruno 222 lbs lost to James Smith 231 lbs by KO at 1:46 in round 10 of 10
- Date: 1984-05-13
- Location: Wembley Arena, Wembley, London, United Kingdom
- Referee: Harry Gibbs
- Aired On: NBC's SportsWorld (Main Event)
- Attendance: 9000
Frank Bruno had had his problems but still seemed to be moving unexplosively towards a disappointing points win behind mostly a jab. Then, with about two minutes remaining in the final round, the "Bonecrusher" suddenly lived up to his name. He trapped Bruno on the ropes unleashing a hail of punishment, and Bruno proved incapable of surviving the sudden change of pace. Smith threw half a dozen gambler's shots and they all landed. Bruno's back was arched over the top rope and his hands were down as Smith threw a late assortment of lefts and rights. A final right then left and Bruno, for the first time in his career, crashed to the floor. As the count tolled, Smith sensed that Bruno would not make it to his feet and danced with joy in his own corner.
Notes
- James Smith 13-1 (12 KOs) vs. Frank Bruno 21-0 (21 KOs)
- It was the first loss of Bruno's professional career.
- Bruno entered ranked as the # 9 heavyweight contender by the WBC.
- It was the first fight for Smith outside of the United States.
Quotes
- "I'm not crying or making excuses - he beat me. But don't worry, I'll be back. Every great fighter, including Joe Frazier and even Ali, have been stopped in their time." - Frank Bruno
- "I hit him with a hook followed by a right and then I just kept throwing punches. I was surprised he stopped moving in the last (round). I figured he would move off the ropes. It was the toughest fight I've ever had. I would like to meet him again - why not for the world title?