Frank Bruno fought a who’s who of heavyweight legends, including Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson.
Bruno was a much-loved fighter who had plenty of ups and downs in his career. He was a big puncher who never shied away from anyone, including Lewis whom he challenged for the WBC heavyweight title in 1993 but was stopped inside seven rounds, and Tyson whom he first fought in 1989 for the WBA, WBC and IBF belts, but after a good start was stopped inside five.
In all, Bruno had 45 fights, 40 wins, and 38 of them came by way of knockout.
Speaking in London to The Sun, Bruno first explained why Tyson didn’t make his list of the hardest punchers he has ever faced.
“Tyson’s quick and he’s powerful, he hits like a whip, but it’s a different variety.”
He then ruled Lewis out of the conversation.
“Lennox Lewis was a different cup of tea, everyone’s got their style and how they can punch, different skills.”
Finally, he revealed his three-man selection.
“I’ve got to go for Jumbo Cummings, Bonecrusher Smith and Tim Witherspoon. All of them had different punches, all had different ways, when they hit you, it hurt. Tim Witherspoon, he wore you down, Bonecrusher Smith, he was a different cup of tea.”
After a torrid start that saw him take a huge right hand in the first round, Bruno beat Cummings in 1983, Then, in 1984, he was stopped in the 10th and last round by American Smith, and in 1986 Witherspoon got the better of Bruno in round 11.
But Bruno finally triumphed in a world title fight in 1995 against Oliver McCall before losing the WBC strap to Tyson a year later and then retiring.
