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

[Roger Mellie]

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.

[GJC]

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 ****e 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?

[GJC]

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

Love you to bits Micky and respect your opinions but I'm with ***** 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.

[TheGreatA]

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.

[paul750]

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 ****.

[TheGreatA]

Love you to bits Micky and respect your opinions but I'm with ***** 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.

[GJC]

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?

[GJC]

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 ****.

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.

[mickey malone]

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..

[GJC]

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.