Poll: Frank Bruno.. Massive Puncher.. Yes or No?

[TheGreatA]

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.

[joe strong]

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.

[GJC]

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.

[StarshipTrooper]

Who off?

Naming no names of course

Poet

[TheGreatA]

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 Rid**** 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.

[joseph5620]

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.

[Thread Stealer]

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.

[GJC]

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.

[GJC]

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.

[Davros?]

Bruno had very good power.