Frank Bruno boxer
- bouts
- 45
- won
- 40
- lost
- 5
- draw
- 0
- Status
- inactive
- Division
- heavyweight
- Debut
- 1982-03-17
- Height
- 6′ 3″/191cm
- Reach
- 82″/208cm
- Age
- -
- Born
- 1961-11-16
- Death
- -
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
Franklin Roy Bruno, MBE (born 16 November 1961) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1982 to 1996. He had a highly publicised and eventful career, both in and out of the ring. The pinnacle of Bruno's boxing career was winning the WBC heavyweight title from Oliver McCall at a packed Wembley Stadium in 1995, in what was his fourth world championship challenge. Bruno faced multiple top-rated heavyweights throughout his career, including two defeats against Mike Tyson in 1989 and 1996, and a defeat against fellow Briton Lennox Lewis in 1993.He was also known for his exceptional punching power, scoring 38 knockouts in 40 wins and giving him a 95% knockout-to-win ratio; his overall knockout percentage was 84.44%. Bruno has been ranked among BoxRec's 10 best heavyweights in the world 12 times, reaching his career-high ranking of world No.3 at the conclusion of 1984. Like Henry Cooper before him, Bruno has remained a popular celebrity with the British public following his retirement from boxing, including his well-documented struggles with mental health.Bruno became a professional boxer in 1981, quickly achieving 21 consecutive wins by knockout. This streak caught the attention of international boxing magazines, such as The Ring, KO Magazine, Boxing Illustrated and Ring En Español. During this period Bruno defeated former world title contender Scott LeDoux, the fringe contender Floyd Cummings who had was controversially stopped from gaining his own stoppage victory when the referee unfairly protected Bruno, Belgian champion Rudy Gauwe, British contenders Tony Moore and Eddie Nielson, and opponents such as Bill Sharkey, Walter Santemore and Ken Lakusta. However, in May 1984 the up-and-coming future world heavyweight champion, American James "Bonecrusher" Smith, halted that streak when he defeated Bruno by knockout in the tenth and final round of their bout, with Bruno leading clearly on all three judges' cards.Bruno won his next six bouts against respected opposition. He won the European heavyweight title with a KO over Sweden's Anders Eklund, KO'd former European champion and world title contender Lucien Rodriguez in one round, was taken the distance for the first time by the useful world rated Phil Brown, and beat fringe fighters Larry Frazier and Jeff Jordan.
Date | Opponent | Last Opponents' Results | Place | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996-03-16 | Mike Tyson | WWWWWW | MGM Grand, Las Vegas | LOST Technical knockout |
1995-09-02 | Oliver McCall | WWWWWW | Wembley Stadium, Wembley | WIN Unanimous decision |
1995-05-13 | Mike Evans | WWLLLW | Kelvin Hall, Glasgow | WIN KO |
1995-02-18 | Rodolfo Marin | LLWWWL | Bath & West Country Showground, Shepton Mallet | WIN KO |
1994-03-16 | Jesse Ferguson | LLWLWL | National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham | WIN Technical knockout |
1993-10-01 | Lennox Lewis | WWWWWW | National Stadium, Cardiff | LOST Technical knockout |
1993-04-24 | Carl Williams | WLWWL | National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham | WIN Technical knockout |
1992-10-17 | Pierre Coetzer | WWWWWL | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN Technical knockout |
1992-04-22 | Jose Ribalta | WWWLLL | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN KO |
1991-11-20 | John Emmen | WWWLWW | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN KO |
1989-02-25 | Mike Tyson | WWWWWW | Las Vegas Hilton, Hilton Center, Las Vegas | LOST Technical knockout |
1987-10-24 | Joe Bugner | LWLWWW | White Hart Lane (Tottenham FC), Tottenham | WIN Technical knockout |
1987-08-30 | Reggie Gross | LWWWLL | Plaza de Toros de Nueva Andalucía, Marbella | WIN Technical knockout |
1987-06-27 | Chuck Gardner | LWWWWW | Palais des Festivals, Cannes | WIN Technical knockout |
1987-03-24 | James Tillis | LWWDLW | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN Technical knockout |
1986-07-19 | Tim Witherspoon | WWWWWW | Wembley Stadium, Wembley | LOST Technical knockout |
1986-03-04 | Gerrie Coetzee | WWDWLW | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN KO |
1985-12-04 | Larry Frazier | WWLLWL | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN KO |
1985-10-01 | Anders Eklund | WLWWWW | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN KO |
1985-03-26 | Lucien Rodriguez | LWWWLW | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN Technical knockout |
1984-11-27 | Philipp Brown | WWWWWL | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN Points |
1984-11-06 | Jeff Jordan | LWWWLW | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN Technical knockout |
1984-09-25 | Ken Lakusta | WWWLLL | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN KO |
1984-05-13 | James Smith | WWWWWW | Wembley Arena, Wembley | LOST KO |
1984-03-13 | Juan Antonio Figueroa | WWWWWL | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN KO |
1983-12-06 | Walter Santemore | WWLWLL | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN KO |
1983-10-11 | Floyd Cummings | WDLLLL | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN Technical knockout |
1983-09-27 | Bill Sharkey | LWWWWL | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN KO |
1983-07-09 | Mike Jameson | LLWWLL | DiVinci Manor, Chicago | WIN KO |
1983-05-31 | Barry Funches | LLLLWL | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN Technical knockout |
1983-05-03 | Scott LeDoux | LLWWWW | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN Technical knockout |
1983-04-05 | Eddie Neilson | WLWWWL | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN Technical knockout |
1983-03-01 | Winston Allen | WWLLLL | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN Technical knockout |
1983-02-08 | Peter Mulindwa Kozza | LDWWDL | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN KO |
1983-01-18 | Stewart Lithgo | LWWLLD | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN Corner retirement |
1982-12-07 | Gilbert Acuna | WWWLLW | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN Technical knockout |
1982-11-23 | George Butzbach | LWLWWL | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN Technical knockout |
1982-11-09 | Rudy Gauwe | WLLWWW | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN KO |
1982-10-23 | Ali Lukusa | WLWWLL | WIN Technical knockout |
|
1982-09-14 | George Scott | WWLLLL | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN Technical knockout |
1982-06-01 | Tony Moore | WLWLLL | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN Technical knockout |
1982-05-04 | Ronald Gibbs | WWLLWW | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN Technical knockout |
1982-04-20 | Abdul Muhaymin | WWLWWW | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN KO |
1982-03-30 | Harvey Steichen | LWLWLW | Wembley Arena, Wembley | WIN Technical knockout |
1982-03-17 | Lupe Guerra | LLLLWW | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | WIN KO |