Obama's inspired this.. I know what I think...

Definitely in the Top 3 of hardest punchers of all time.

Definitely in the Top 3 of hardest punchers of all time.
The Ring don't even have him in their top 100 punchers of all time!!!!
Hence the main reason for this thread... It's a diabolical liberty!

Shavers said that Bruno had the hardest punch after him.

# Bruno has 38 knockout wins from 40 victories; which is a 95% knockout record and gives Bruno one of the highest knockout percentages in heavyweight boxing history.
# Frank Bruno's straight punch was 6320 newtons and the punch took only 0.1 seconds from start to finish.

Anybody good with physics?

:lol1:

The Ring don't even have him in their top 100 punchers of all time!!!!
Hence the main reason for this thread... It's a diabolical liberty!

Okay, the ring list was for the 100 GREATEST punchers not the 100 HARDEST punchers: Power, while an important component, is only one of the factors considered in creating the list. This is why Earnie Shavers didn't top the list. While I agree Bruno is one of the hardest punchers ever (and I've caught shite before for saying it), I don't think he was one of the greatest punchers. A good example is I remember reading where a common opponent said Bruno was a harder puncher than Tyson; but I don't think anyone would descibe Frank as a BETTER puncher than Tyson. Think of it like a comparison between Shavers and Foreman: Shavers a slightly harder puncher than Foreman; Foreman a better overall puncher than Shavers.

Poet

What poet said. Except the power in Bruno's punch I still don't consider top 50 material p4p.

Okay, the ring list was for the 100 GREATEST punchers not the 100 HARDEST punchers: Power, while an important component, is only one of the factors considered in creating the list. This is why Earnie Shavers didn't top the list. While I agree Bruno is one of the hardest punchers ever (and I've caught shite before for saying it), I don't think he was one of the greatest punchers. A good example is I remember reading where a common opponent said Bruno was a harder puncher than Tyson; but I don't think anyone would descibe Frank as a BETTER puncher than Tyson. Think of it like a comparison between Shavers and Foreman: Shavers a slightly harder puncher than Foreman; Foreman a better overall puncher than Shavers.

Poet
But do they have an AT Hardest punchers list?... My main point is, that they have massive limitations in recognizing overseas fighters.. In my opinion, they either put em away, or they don't.. Bruno's the reason why no one's ever KO'd McCall..
Great or Hard, not to make the top 100 is criminal in Bruno's case..

But do they have an AT Hardest punchers list?...

Not that I've seen but then my Ring Magazine collection only really covers the 1990s.

My main point is, that they have massive limitations in recognizing overseas fighters.. In my opinion, they either put em away, or they don't.. Bruno's the reason why no one's ever KO'd McCall...Great or Hard, not to make the top 100 is criminal in Bruno's case..

Maybe in the case of Heavyweights. In the lighter weight classes overseas fighters have traditionally gotten plenty of coverage from Ring. An example: Late '80s early '90s Benn, Eubank, Collins, and Graham rightly got plenty of coverage in Ring as the cream of the Middleweight division. Part of the problem with Bruno is that he was regarded as a joke (wrongly) in the US.....as were all UK Heavyweights. That perception of the "horizontal" British Heavyweight took a long time to dissipate and Lennox Lewis was tainted by that perception for a looooong time: At least up until he brutalized Grant and Tyson. That changed some people's minds about him. Up until then he was regarded as just another joke UK Heavyweight fraud. Unfortunately not ALL minds were changed by Lewis' execution of Grant and Tyson and you'll still find posters making him out to be a joke.....as they still do Bruno.

Poet

Yeah, I guess so. A very hard puncher. He has to be up there.

Bruno was an absolutely massive puncher, but he was not the quickest and he was extremely musclebound. But in terms of punch power he would be in my top 3.

Okay, the ring list was for the 100 GREATEST punchers not the 100 HARDEST punchers: Power, while an important component, is only one of the factors considered in creating the list. This is why Earnie Shavers didn't top the list. While I agree Bruno is one of the hardest punchers ever (and I've caught shite before for saying it), I don't think he was one of the greatest punchers. A good example is I remember reading where a common opponent said Bruno was a harder puncher than Tyson; but I don't think anyone would descibe Frank as a BETTER puncher than Tyson. Think of it like a comparison between Shavers and Foreman: Shavers a slightly harder puncher than Foreman; Foreman a better overall puncher than Shavers.

Poet
Who off? :)

Obama's inspired this.. I know what I think...
Love you to bits Micky and respect your opinions but I'm with Obama on this I'm afraid.
Me and Poet have gone toe to toe on this one already so my opinion is out there somewhere. I just happen to think that Bruno was extremely well matched throughout his career and Lawless and Duff lined him up with named fighters that were shot. Yes some of them had been good fighters in their day but long before Bruno fought them. Micky you are a Brit you must remember that Coetzee went to Harrods shopping the afternoon he fought Bruno, he was there for one last pay day ffs.

A poor Witherspoon he couldn't knock out, but Bonecrusher did in a round in his next fight in a round.

Lewis was awful against him and Bruno fought well but couldn't knock him out and Lewis could get caught as McCall proved within a year.

1st Tyson fight, Tyson was in terrible shape but again Frank couldn't knock him out, Douglas whupped him within a year.

You could say he caught those 3 at a perfect time but couldn't knock them out!

I was amazed at how many shots Bruno got to be honest but every time Bruno fought a reasonable in shape un-shot fighter who was there to win he lost.

Lovely guy and I'm delighted he got the title eventually (I was there on the night cheering him on btw) but I would say a great puncher with power would have beat some of those guys he lost to on those particular nights. I also think that a featherfist would have knocked out the "names" he did knock out on those particular nights.

Bruno had a lot of power. I'm not sure if I'd call him a massive puncher but he could punch, there's no question about that.

Oliver McCall said that the most he was ever hurt in a fight was against Frank Bruno.

The first time anyone ever saw Tyson staggered was against Bruno.

Coetzee was not exactly in his prime but the first round knockout was very impressive.

Jose Ribalta gave a lot of trouble and went the distance with a lot of good fighters, Bruno KO'd him in two.

Jesse Ferguson was always durable, Bruno KO'd him in one.

Bruno stopped Pierre Coetzer in the same amount of rounds that Bowe and Foreman did.

Bugner, while past his prime, was tough to stop. Bruno stopped him in 8th rounds.

A poor Witherspoon he couldn't knock out, but Bonecrusher did in a round in his next fight in a round.

Lewis was awful against him and Bruno fought well but couldn't knock him out and Lewis could get caught as McCall proved within a year.

1st Tyson fight, Tyson was in terrible shape but again Frank couldn't knock him out, Douglas whupped him within a year.

You could say he caught those 3 at a perfect time but couldn't knock them out!

I was amazed at how many shots Bruno got to be honest but every time Bruno fought a reasonable in shape un-shot fighter who was there to win he lost.

Lovely guy and I'm delighted he got the title eventually (I was there on the night cheering him on btw) but I would say a great puncher with power would have beat some of those guys he lost to on those particular nights. I also think that a featherfist would have knocked out the "names" he did knock out on those particular nights.

I've never been able to get hold of the Witherspoon and Smith fights, so I can't comment on them, except to say that they were capable fighters with power. From what I've heard Bruno was winning the fights when he was stopped. In the Lewis fight he was just outjabbing Lewis without actually landing bombs. He buzzed Tyson and didn't take advantage of it. Tyson was only stopped after a beating by Douglas and Holyfield. McCall said Bruno was one of the few fighters to buzz him. Not knocking McCall out is no disgrace as he's a freak.

The guy was just crude power. How much power remains to be seen, but he could certainly bang.

Love you to bits Micky and respect your opinions but I'm with Obama on this I'm afraid.
Me and Poet have gone toe to toe on this one already so my opinion is out there somewhere. I just happen to think that Bruno was extremely well matched throughout his career and Lawless and Duff lined him up with named fighters that were shot. Yes some of them had been good fighters in their day but long before Bruno fought them. Micky you are a Brit you must remember that Coetzee went to Harrods shopping the afternoon he fought Bruno, he was there for one last pay day ffs.

A poor Witherspoon he couldn't knock out, but Bonecrusher did in a round in his next fight in a round.

Lewis was awful against him and Bruno fought well but couldn't knock him out and Lewis could get caught as McCall proved within a year.

1st Tyson fight, Tyson was in terrible shape but again Frank couldn't knock him out, Douglas whupped him within a year.

You could say he caught those 3 at a perfect time but couldn't knock them out!

I was amazed at how many shots Bruno got to be honest but every time Bruno fought a reasonable in shape un-shot fighter who was there to win he lost.

Lovely guy and I'm delighted he got the title eventually (I was there on the night cheering him on btw) but I would say a great puncher with power would have beat some of those guys he lost to on those particular nights. I also think that a featherfist would have knocked out the "names" he did knock out on those particular nights.

You could be right but I'm not really sure if it was always because of the opponent being out of shape, unfocused, shot etc. that they were made to look bad.

Bruno to me had some nice boxing fundamentals and was quite gifted with a long reach. He would simply freeze up when under pressure and end up losing fights he was winning.

I think he fought a great fight against Lewis which is why Lewis looked bad.

Bruno had a lot of power. I'm not sure if I'd call him a massive puncher but he could punch, there's no question about that.

Oliver McCall said that the most he was ever hurt in a fight was against Frank Bruno.

The first time anyone ever saw Tyson staggered was against Bruno.

Coetzee was not exactly in his prime but the first round knockout was very impressive.

Jose Ribalta gave a lot of trouble and went the distance with a lot of good fighters, Bruno KO'd him in two.

Jesse Ferguson was always durable, Bruno KO'd him in one.

Bruno stopped Pierre Coetzer in the same amount of rounds that Bowe and Foreman did.

Bugner, while past his prime, was tough to stop. Bruno stopped him in 8th rounds.
Yeah they're good names GreatA but you wouldn't call them shot fighters by the time Bruno fought them?
You would struggle to call them anything other than opponents at that stage of their careers surely?

I've never been able to get hold of the Witherspoon and Smith fights, so I can't comment on them, except to say that they were capable fighters with power. From what I've heard Bruno was winning the fights when he was stopped. In the Lewis fight he was just outjabbing Lewis without actually landing bombs. He buzzed Tyson and didn't take advantage of it. Tyson was only stopped after a beating by Douglas and Holyfield. McCall said Bruno was one of the few fighters to buzz him. Not knocking McCall out is no disgrace as he's a freak.

The guy was just crude power. How much power remains to be seen, but he could certainly bang.
He was outboxing both Smith and Witherspoon as he was Lewis but surely such a massive puncher would have been able to put them away before he gassed?
Yes he could bank, to a point. Virtually every boxer starts off his career by knocking out 10/20 tomato cans in a couple of rounds then thet dig out a couple of shot name fighters to look good on the record before they step up in class. That is almost a blueprint of any decent boxer, my point is that every time Bruno stepped up in class he was found wanting. He would then go back to tomato cans shot name fighters then get another title shot etc etc.

He was outboxing both Smith and Witherspoon as he was Lewis but surely such a massive puncher would have been able to put them away before he gassed?
Yes he could bank, to a point. Virtually every boxer starts off his career by knocking out 10/20 tomato cans in a couple of rounds then thet dig out a couple of shot name fighters to look good on the record before they step up in class. That is almost a blueprint of any decent boxer, my point is that every time Bruno stepped up in class he was found wanting. He would then go back to tomato cans shot name fighters then get another title shot etc etc.
The same could be said about Ernie Shavers, but he's still regarded as a big puncher.. He often gassed & was unable to take advantage of a near comatozed Holmes..
A good example of Bruno's brute punching power is the KO of Mike Jameson..

The same could be said about Ernie Shavers, but he's still regarded as a big puncher.. He often gassed & was unable to take advantage of a near comatozed Holmes..
A good example of Bruno's brute punching power is the KO of Mike Jameson..
To a point but Shavers couldn't pace a fight Bruno was a much better boxer than Shavers but no where near the power IMO. Reaching with Jameson Mickey, I mean Bruno looked good but I would have had a few quid on your good self against him.

Yeah they're good names GreatA but you wouldn't call them shot fighters by the time Bruno fought them?
You would struggle to call them anything other than opponents at that stage of their careers surely?

They were brought in as opponents of course but it was still fairly impressive to do what he was able to do.

Ribalta had recently lost a majority decision to Tim Witherspoon and in his next fight went to a split decision with Michael Dokes.

Bugner was old but he was coming off some of his career-best wins over Greg Page, David Bey and "Quick" Tillis.

Coetzer was coming off a somewhat controversial loss to Bowe who had hurt him with low blows and then finished him.

Ferguson was coming off a split decision loss to Ray Mercer and went onto lose another controversial decision to old Larry Holmes in his next fight.

Coetzee had been inactive in the past years but nothing really indicated that he was shot. He had been upset by Greg Page for his title in 1984 and then outpointed James Tillis to win a decision in 1985. He was still ranked at the time.

I own about 35 of his fights & without a doubt he had excellent power.people say his chin was suspect but his ko losses were to Tyson,lewis,bonecrusher,witherspoon.all big punchers so I think his chin was decent.his only flaw was his stamina which contributed to his smith & witherspoon losses.Bruno had alot of soft opposition throughout his career but I think he was a solid contender just not at the elite level.underrated fighter in my eyes.

Coetzer was coming off a somewhat controversial loss to Bowe who had hurt him with low blows and then finished him.

Then after Bruno gets beat by an ancient Foreman and retires but one of Bruno's better wins agreed.

Ferguson was coming off a split decision loss to Ray Mercer and went onto lose another controversial decision to old Larry Holmes in his next fight.

Ferguson was very much an opponent at this stage of his career though, admitidely he could test and did better than expected against Mercer and an ancient Holmes but at the time he fought Bruno had lost 7 out of 11

Ribalta had recently lost a majority decision to Tim Witherspoon and in his next fight went to a split decision with Michael Dokes.

Ditto Ribalta

Bugner was old but he was coming off some of his career-best wins over Greg Page, David Bey and "Quick" Tillis

Again all shot fighters, Bruno and Bugner were swapping corpses at this point of their careers

Coetzee had been inactive in the past years but nothing really indicated that he was shot. He had been upset by Greg Page for his title in 1984 and then outpointed James Tillis to win a decision in 1985. He was still ranked at the time.
Tillis lost to Marvis Frazier in the fight before, like I said I believe Coetzee was in London for the payday and the shopping.

You are a great poster GreatA,you know boxing well enough to know how well Bruno was managed and how well his team could spot a shot fighter.
If any of those guys were thought to possibly have a chance against Bruno they wouldn't have been in the ring with him would they?

One question do you think that after losing to Witherspoon beating Tillis, Gardner,Gross and a 37 yo Bugner would get you a shot at the undisputed HW title?

I like Frank and pleased for him earning a good living and getting the title eventually but do honestly believe his career was smoke and mirrors.

Who off? :)

Naming no names of course :)

Poet

Ferguson was very much an opponent at this stage of his career though, admitidely he could test and did better than expected against Mercer and an ancient Holmes but at the time he fought Bruno had lost 7 out of 11

Ditto Ribalta

Agreed but they had given trouble to other contenders. Not just anybody could have knocked them out like Bruno did.

Lets not forget that Riddick Bowe gave the same Jesse Ferguson a shot at the title.

Again all shot fighters, Bruno and Bugner were swapping corpses at this point of their careers

I wouldn't argue with that but all three of them were surely closer to their prime than Bugner. Page had been a champion not long before, Bey had challenged for the title against Holmes, Tillis was coming off his career-best effort against Tyson.

Tillis lost to Marvis Frazier in the fight before, like I said I believe Coetzee was in London for the payday and the shopping.


Tillis had been upset by Mike Williams after having knocked down Williams in the early rounds. He fought Evander Holyfield a year later.

I agree Coetzee was likely looking for a payday and was in fact shot but it was not as easy to see before the fight. He was still a ranked contender.

You are a great poster GreatA,you know boxing well enough to know how well Bruno was managed and how well his team could spot a shot fighter.
If any of those guys were thought to possibly have a chance against Bruno they wouldn't have been in the ring with him would they?

One question do you think that after losing to Witherspoon beating Tillis, Gardner,Gross and a 37 yo Bugner would get you a shot at the undisputed HW title?

I like Frank and pleased for him earning a good living and getting the title eventually but do honestly believe his career was smoke and mirrors.

It's mostly how Tyrell Biggs got his shot, a lot of hype and good management. Biggs hadn't beaten a live body, in fact he had feast on Frank Bruno left-overs for the most part.

Bruno had a lot of power. I'm not sure if I'd call him a massive puncher but he could punch, there's no question about that.

Oliver McCall said that the most he was ever hurt in a fight was against Frank Bruno.

The first time anyone ever saw Tyson staggered was against Bruno.

Coetzee was not exactly in his prime but the first round knockout was very impressive.

Jose Ribalta gave a lot of trouble and went the distance with a lot of good fighters, Bruno KO'd him in two.

Jesse Ferguson was always durable, Bruno KO'd him in one.

Bruno stopped Pierre Coetzer in the same amount of rounds that Bowe and Foreman did.

Bugner, while past his prime, was tough to stop. Bruno stopped him in 8th rounds.

Good examples.

I think he was a heavy-handed, powerful puncher. His inability to knockout/drop the best guys he faced was more of a lack of all around abilities rather than power.

For instance, it was brought out that Douglas stopped Tyson, but Bruno couldn't do the same to a similarly underprepared Tyson. Bruno didn't have the quickness and consistent jab of Douglas. He had a heavy jab, but it was slower. He didn't have the speed to consistently land right hand leads and uppercuts on Tyson like Douglas did. McCall stopping Lewis a year after Lewis beat Bruno was brought up. Bruno didn't catch Lewis with a perfectly timed right hand as Lewis was coming in (with the help of Manny Steward's advice), like McCall did. Bruno landed with the same kind of punch he often did, that ugly clubbing overhand right. A hard punch, but rarely the type to change the course of the fight against top flight opposition.

Bruno might have as much "raw power" and heavy-hands than some of the great punchers like Tyson or Lewis, who knows, but it's tough to compare since he didn't land the same type of quick accurate well-place punches as they did.

It's mostly how Tyrell Biggs got his shot, a lot of hype and good management. Biggs hadn't beaten a live body, in fact he had feast on Frank Bruno left-overs for the most part.
For sure, and others down the years.
Terry Lawless and Micky Duff were as good a judge of a shot fighter as there has been.

I think he was a heavy-handed, powerful puncher. His inability to knockout/drop the best guys he faced was more of a lack of all around abilities rather than power.

Bruno might have as much "raw power" and heavy-hands than some of the great punchers like Tyson or Lewis, who knows, but it's tough to compare since he didn't land the same type of quick accurate well-place punches as they did.
Some reasonable points in there but again it doesn't really show that he could knock out any prime motivated fighters, a great puncher would I believe.
But as GreatA did show he was as clinical at knocking out shot and second grade fighters as anyone.
I'm beginning to sound like Slimey on Joe Louis here lol
Anyhow thats my twopenneth but Frank gave us Brits a lot of excitement down the years and a nice guy who earnt a lot of money for himself so good luck to him.

Bruno had very good power.

Well said my piece and in disagreement with some posters I respect so best thing is to agree to differ. Last time I had this debate(can't remember with who :) ) I ended up denigrating Bruno more than was fair so best to leave it there. Incidently where the f.uck was Obama he was Sam Houston to my Davy Crockett! Think we can all agree on one thing I thought Sasha Cohen's recent film on frank was riddled with inaccuracies.