Frank Bruno

[STREET CLEANER]

Good power but use to get winded to quick and that chin was no help either

[mickey malone]

One dimensional fighter who had tremendous power but choked in nearly all of his biggest fights-Tyson(2), Witherspoon, Smith and Lewis. Did fight better than his talent suggested he should. A C rated heavyweight

I've noticed a lot of posters use the term, "C rated heavyweight."

Bruno was in the top 10 for most of his career, so who would you describe as B rated heavyweights?..
Surely, this would put Carl Williams, Gerrie Coetzee, James Tillis, Oliver McCall etc, all in the D rated catagory?
Also, how does a C rated HW get 4 cracks at the HW title, and eventually win it?
I mean, nobody can say it was a lucky punch!..

Ok, he was incredibly well managed and I bet he's got 10 times more money in the bank than Tyson and Witherspoon put together, but in my opinion Bruno was way above C rated.. Or am I not quite grasping the concept here?

[StarshipTrooper]

I've noticed a lot of posters use the term, "C rated heavyweight."

Bruno was in the top 10 for most of his career, so who would you describe as B rated heavyweights?..
Surely, this would put Carl Williams, Gerrie Coetzee, James Tillis, Oliver McCall etc, all in the D rated catagory?
Also, how does a C rated HW get 4 cracks at the HW title, and eventually win it?

I mean, nobody can say it was a lucky punch.. Ok, he was incredibly well managed and I bet he's got 10 times more money in the bank than Tyson and Witherspoon put together, but in my opinion Bruno was way above C rated.. Or am I not quite grasping the concept here?

Here's how I rank:

A Level - ATGs and Near Greats
B Level - Top Contenders in an average strength era.
C Level - Journeymen and Fringe Contenders in an average strength era.
D Level - Club Fighters
E Level - Tomato Cans

Poet

[CarlosG815]

in my opinion Bruno was way above C rated.. Or am I not quite grasping the concept here?

He was definitely an easy B rated fighter and always a top contender.

I think he'd take back the C rated comment if he could.

[1SILVA]

I've noticed a lot of posters use the term, "C rated heavyweight."

Bruno was in the top 10 for most of his career, so who would you describe as B rated heavyweights?..
Surely, this would put Carl Williams, Gerrie Coetzee, James Tillis, Oliver McCall etc, all in the D rated catagory?
Also, how does a C rated HW get 4 cracks at the HW title, and eventually win it?

I mean, nobody can say it was a lucky punch.. Ok, he was incredibly well managed and I bet he's got 10 times more money in the bank than Tyson and Witherspoon put together, but in my opinion Bruno was way above C rated.. Or am I not quite grasping the concept here?

I would put Coetzee and Williams as C rated fighters also. Tillis and McCall would be D fighters. Bruno was a very popular fighter who lacked that extra intangible to be great. John Ruiz, who i can't stand, is in my opinion also a C rated fighter. If A+ is Ali and Louis, what do other Heavyweights rate? Is Tyson a B+ or an A-? I'd give Holmes and A- as well as Lewis and Johnson, Dempsey and marciano are A's. I believe if you are a B rated fighter, you are borderline HOF(Norton). Bruno had a very good career and yes, he saved money and is doing well. He is not a HOF fighter, though he is a class act and a credit to the sport

[StarshipTrooper]

I would put Coetzee and Williams as C rated fighters also. Tillis and McCall would be D fighters. Bruno was a very popular fighter who lacked that extra intangible to be great. John Ruiz, who i can't stand, is in my opinion also a C rated fighter. If A+ is Ali and Louis, what do other Heavyweights rate? Is Tyson a B+ or an A-? I'd give Holmes and A- as well as Lewis and Johnson, Dempsey and marciano are A's. I believe if you are a B rated fighter, you are borderline HOF(Norton). Bruno had a very good career and yes, he saved money and is doing well. He is not a HOF fighter, though he is a class act and a credit to the sport

I would rate Ali, Louis, Holmes, Tyson, Johnson, Dempsey, and Marciano as A Fighters as they are all legitimate ATGs. I would rate Lewis an A Fighter as well as he's a near-great. Norton would be a B Fighter as he was a consistant top-contender in an extremely strong era.

Poet

[1SILVA]

I would rate Ali, Louis, Holmes, Tyson, Johnson, Dempsey, and Marciano as A Fighters as they are all legitimate ATGs. I would rate Lewis an A Fighter as well as he's a near-great. Norton would be a B Fighter as he was a consistant top-contender in an extremely strong era.

Poet

I agree. What about Foreman, Frazier, and Tunney? Are they A's as well? You and malone have me thinking about rating all the Heavyweight champs from A-D. I believe the above three would all be A's. Excellent post by both you and malone.

[StarshipTrooper]

I agree. What about Foreman, Frazier, and Tunney? Are they A's as well? You and malone have me thinking about rating all the Heavyweight champs from A-D. I believe the above three would all be A's. Excellent post by both you and malone.

Absolutely Foreman and Frazier are A Level. Tunney only had five fights at Heavyweight so I don't rate him there: He was an A Level Light-Heavyweight though.

Poet

[CarlosG815]

I agree. What about Foreman, Frazier, and Tunney? Are they A's as well?

Hell yes they are.

[1SILVA]

Absolutely Foreman and Frazier are A Level. Tunney only had five fights at Heavyweight so I don't rate him there: He was an A Level Light-Heavyweight though.

Poet

So you would put Tunney and Spinks as A 175 pound fighters who had brief success at Heavy. fair enough.