Any ideas why this fight never took place? Could of been for the commonwealth title maybe? .Both of Jamaica heritage could of been a huge fight in the UK .Would've been a great fight and a winnable fight for Frank .seems an obvious fight to make any ideas why it never happened?
Would have been a good fight for Frank .Around the time Trev took the title ,not sure Bruno beats him but once Tyson had battered him I see Frank grinding him down .
Interesting one, and not an easy one to call around 1987. Berbick is perhaps a little underrated because he's best known to a generation for the way Tyson made him breakdance, the sacrificial lamb to get the Tyson era underway, as well as that clownish episode with Holmes in the Vegas car park. But he beat a couple of very decent technicians on points (Page, Thomas) and has a pretty creditable win over Tate on his record, too. The more I think about it, the more I think Bruno might have had his work cut out against Berbick if they'd fought any time before 1987. I guess by the time the fight was mooted he'd have been getting Berbick at a decent time, and probably would have had enough to get over the line. But a few years earlier? Might well have been a rerun of Bruno's defeats to Smith and Witherspoon; Frank doing well for a few rounds, generally getting tagged more as he begins to tire, and unable to withstand the late salvo. He might have to blast Berbick out early to be sure of the win, which is possible, I guess.
I'd say Bruno drops Berbick, he doesn't have the defense to avoid one of Frank's bombs over an entire fight
Think so too. Bruno would just owerpower him, but if he didn´t end the fight, things might get close after round 8. Also Berbick might be a little past it at that time, but nevertheless rumbled 10 rounds in 89 with a 226lb sharp Buster Douglas.
Bruno's management probably thought Berbick was too tough before and after his loss to Bonecrusher Smith. Then, Bruno elected to go after the WBA title held by Tim Witherspoon after really beating nobody of note between the loss to Bonecrusher and getting the Witherspoon fight. If Bruno had gone after Berbick's WBC title in '86, I think Berbick would have beaten Bruno. He was strong, awkward and tough - much more resilent than Bruno. After Berbick's title loss toTyson, I would pick Bruno to beat Berbick, but his management was so safety conscious, they still may have not made the match. But, post Tyson, Berbick was clearly deteriorating and he would have been a perfect name opponent for Bruno to take on at that point. But, as it turns out, Bruno only had to beat a shot Tillis and an over the hill, comebacking Bugner to "earn" his second title shot against Tyson. Bruno was such a draw in Brittain, that he got big fight after big fight while doing very little in between. Berbick, on the other hand, had to earn what he got. Career wise, Berbick > Bruno. A lot of you Brits probably don't want to hear it, but, objectively, it is true.
True, Berbick deteriorated quickly post Tyson. That fight took a lot out of him. But, I can see Frank's management avoiding a guy like Trevor until it was readily apparent he was shot. In 1987, it wasn't really apparent yet that Berbick was finished. The fighter that ended up using Berbick as a steppingstone was Carl Williams in 1988.
I'd favor Berbick. Bruno only ever lost to Smith, Witherspoon, Tyson and Lewis but his win column is not overly inspiring. Berbick was tough and tenacious. I wouldn't count out a Bruno stoppage but my money would be on Berbick.
