Frank Bruno was famously involved in some seriously tough nights across his heavyweight career.
The much-loved Londoner had four attempts at becoming a world title holder, and eventually succeeded at the end of his career when he beat Oliver McCall over 12 rounds in September 1995.
Before that he had taken KO losses to Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson during world title bouts, as well as being stopped by Tim Witherspoon and James ‘Bonecrusher’ Smith earlier in his career.
He eventually hung up the gloves after a second fight with ‘Iron Mike’ ended in another KO loss in March 1996 out in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand.
Despite the turmoil inside the ring, and plenty of it outside of the sport relating to a battle with mental health, Bruno remains a popular figure and one of Britain’s most loved sportsmen.
Speaking recently to Soul Ceramics, he was asked about the hardest puncher he ever faced in the ring. Rather than go with any of the expected big names, he picks out a little-known opponent from early in his career.
“Of all of them I’d have to say Floyd ‘Jumbo’ Cummings. I can still feel the right hand he gave me in 1983.”
Cummings was a fringe contender that Bruno stopped in Oct 1983 at London’s Royal Albert Hall to take his record to 19-0. The American ended his career with 15 wins, 6 defeats and 1 draw, 13 wins by knockout, and was famously Joe Frazier’s final opponent, as they fought to a majority decision draw in 1981.
Years after retiring, Bruno admitted that although Cumings hit him hardest, he hugely regrets taking the second and final fight with Tyson as he wasn’t in the right headspace, and it showed in the early third round loss.
