Former heavyweight champion Frank Bruno has been in the ring with some of the best heavyweights of all time.
Bruno completed his goal of becoming world champion at the third time of asking when he defeated Oliver McCall via a unanimous points decision on a famous night at Wembley Stadium in London.
His previous two attempts at capturing gold came against Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis.
Tyson would retain his titles in 1989, stopping the Brit in the fifth round after some early success for Bruno.
Four years later Bruno would challenge Lewis for his WBC belt in an all British showdown in Cardiff. Once again it wasn’t to be for Bruno, with the referee calling an end to the bout in the seventh round.
In an interview with Max Boxing Bruno said he would avoid facing Tyson if possible and would rather fight Lewis ‘five days a week’.
“I boxed Tyson twice and I boxed Lennox Lewis, and I would rather box Lennox Lewis five days a week than to fight a Mike Tyson. He’s awkward, short, dangerous, and when he’s fit, he’s very dangerous.”
Bruno believes ‘Iron’ Mike only needed to be 60 percent to compete against the best.
“If he’s 60 percent himself when he goes in there, fit, hungry, and controlled – not controlled that when the bell goes he’s still fighting, punching the referee, punching the cornermen, biting and getting loopy – I can see him doing some damage because Tyson’s very dangerous when he’s focused”
Bruno and Tyson would meet one more time in 1996 when the American would once again knock the Brit out, this time in the third round. Bruno would hang up the gloves immediately after.
- Toby Morgan
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