Bruno could punch but go to world level and his punching power takes a nose dive in terms of scoring KOs: Lewis L KO Tyson L KO X2 Witherspoon L KO Smith L KO McCall W PTS Coatzee W KO Williams W TKO10 Bigger W TKO6 Ribalta W TKO2 So your looking at less than a 50% KO record at world level and I've been lenient including ancient Bugner, Williams on a losing run and Ribalta who I'm not sure was ranked top 15 at the time and most likely was not. Also Bruno used to blow up big style so asking him to do an extra three rounds against more active fighters is going to kill him. He basically ends up having to score early KOs or he ends up doing a David Price and ends up dying on the ropes from exhaustion. Gloves could help and hinder him considering he could punch but also didn't have a great chin. he also only has one belt to contend for rather than four which limits his chance and also means he has to be matched harder to get his opportunities. I'm not sure it pans out any better for Frank in any era, he should end up a good contender in most but unlikely to be the main man.
Deontay Wilder recently talked about how boxing is 95% mental. How it's about the drive, the mentality, the hunger, the wherewithal. And for that reason I'm picking Bruno.
This is how I see it. I would add that his career has been subject to some rather odd revisionism since he retired. British fight fans loved him, but they knew that he wasn't really very good. He became a bit of a national joke latterly.
Bruno v Charles. Bruno way ahead on points and Charles looking the worst for wear suddenly tires in the twelve round and is stopped on his feet . Walcott v Bruno. Either Frank catches him early and stops him ..or Jersey survive s to out point him. Old Louis ,his face swollen and bruised is pulled out at the end of the sixth Young contender Marciano has to survive two kds s and a severely swollen shut eye ,to come back and stops Frank with a barrage in ten. Or Marciano is knocked down in round 1 and never recovers .A confident Bruno works at him with his jab ,shaking the smaller man ,til he's stopped in the fifth round .
How right he was. Remember that time Wilde won the heavyweight title? Muscles have nothing to do with punching. Bodies move on willpower.
Still, I'm glad that somebody matched Bruno with an era that's closer to his abilities. Bruno barely managed to keep up with the training demands of the late 80s. Can you imagine Bruno holding it together for the punishing training he'd need to gain 20 pounds of fat and become a modern superheavyweight? Not a chance.
Imaginary? Surprise!!! You´d gather that there is indeed no check-history for any Bruno-likes in Marcianos, Walcotts or Charles era? But in fact tons of bigger Rockys, Charlses and Walcotts in Brunos era? Its the same garbage over and over and over again. Find some single fighters to explain the little fellows can make it. Inductive reasoning bull**** all the way. Specific individual cases like Toney, Spinks or RJJ, who´d never fight at 180 @HW, explain theorys of equity. You can add @janitor here too. Whats the ****ing problem with not understanding that Spinks and Byrd were 20/25lb of functional weight heavier than a fellow who started at Middleweight?? Lets take Holyfield at 188 to the HW-devision? In you guys world apparently no problem! No need for any bulk. Yeah sure. For other bull**** arguments: What about paring Toney and Spinks at 185-190 pounds against Frank Bruno? Last time I checked, the problem for Spinks in the 80s, even at 210lb, was to hang in with bigger more powerful fighters, which was obvisous when crack Cooney banged him on backfoot.
Since you have asked my response I will give it. Spinks was little more than a super middleweight, mere months before he lifted the heavyweight title! Yes his success at heavyweight, absolutely demonstrates that Walcott and Charles might have done the same, or even much better.
The weight argument is getting repetitive and redundant. Obviously people can move up in weight and contend. It’s been done a plenty all across the divisions. It’s an argument of those who think it can’t be done and those that can look back and say it’s been done so often it shouldn’t be an argument.
Are you still playing dumb? At what weight did Michael Spinks fight @HW? What weight was he try to acquire after his HW-start?
Did Walcott and Charles, who both fought at 160 or under (Walcott: 158) when they started, reach 210lb for fighting @HW? YES or NO!