Hashim Rahman Vs Frank Bruno??

Bruno avoided fighting men of the caliber of Maskaev, whenever it was humanly possible.

He simply wouldn't have fought a man that dangerous, if there wasn't a belt on the line.

 

Rahman's got this. They had some similarities, but Rahman shits on Bruno from a mental standpoint.

 

YDKSAB

 

Not if it also happens to be the end. Lewis put him back in his rightful place, months later, leaving no one in any doubt of Rahman's fluke.

Reclaim? You mean it got given to him - because, luckily for Rahman (again), Vitali cancelled on him, while Rahman's good friend Monte Barrett stepped in to give The Rock the WBC 'interim' belt (this status then being promoted, only on account of Vitali's retirement). Rahman didn't even win the title in the ring.

No real substance there and, in any event, the OP's question is not asking which one of them had the best win or the best ledger.


Head-to-head Bruno isn't losing to Ruiz or Maskaev, as Rahman did - and Bruno likely contains Tua, as well. Conversely, I would have a bet on McCall to beat Rahman and actually look relatively good in doing so.

I doubt Rahman would have lasted more than six rounds with the version of Witherspoon that Bruno faced (and that is being very generous). Likewise, a '93 version of Lewis would have spanked Rahman, almost as badly as he did in November 2001.
Tyson has Rahman out of there in one round, maybe two.

 

Maskaev was the same level as Coetzee, Coetzer, and old Bugner.
And that's possibly being generous to Maskaev.

 

Correction.

He was the same level as them, when they were going concerns.

 

They were 'going concerns' when Bruno beat them. They weren't prime but they were either ranked, or were considered 'fringe' just outside the top ten.

Maskeav was knocked out by Corey "T Rex" Sanders (a journeyman, NOT the South African guy who beat Wlad) in 8 rounds ..... was stopped by Lance Whitaker in 2 rounds .... was stopped by Kirk Johnson in 4 rounds ...... these defeats happened in 2000-'02, his wins over Rahman happened in 1999 and 2006.

You can't seriously argue Maskaev was better than a 1986 Coetzee or a 1987 Bugner, and it's debatable whether he was at all better than a 1992 Pierre Coetzer.

 

Yeah - because Maskaev clearly demonstrated he would have been able to go the distance with Ali (x2), Frazier and Lyle.


Edit: Unfortunately, Maskaev wasn't able to make the distance against McCall, Tua, Johnson Whitaker, Sanders (not Corrie, but Corey), Peter or Aguilera.

Is it the case that Maskaev must be good, just because he posted two 'W's over Rahman?

Seems like this is more a case of you propping up mediocrity with mediocrity.

 

I have a feeling Tua would have KO'd Bruno too, but Bruno would have defeated Ruiz and Maskaev surely.
Prime Bruno probably KOs the 2001 Lewis in South Africa too, to be fair.

 

Oleg Maskaev was even AS OLD AS OLD BUGNER when he beat Rahman the 2nd time, 37 years old, same age as Bugner against Bruno.

Rahman was 33 at the time, same age as Bruno was against McCall.

 

Tua might have stopped Frank, but it's no sure thing.
I have very little doubt Bruno beats Ruiz and Maskaev.
Lewis was in the worst shape of his career in Johannesburg. Bruno certainly had the strength and the punch to take advantage of that.
To be fair to Rahman though, he timed and placed that right-hand delivery on Lewis to near-perfection. A one-off moment.

 

This entire post wishful thinking. Especially imagining Bruno beating Lewis in SA.

 

Rahman gassed in the 12th round while up on the cards, which was practically a favorite pastime of Bruno.

Maskaev stopped Alexander Miroshnichenko. He could fight.

 

Bruno gave a fitter, younger Lewis a hard fight in 1993. Bruno was always fit and set a fast pace for the first 7 or 8 rounds against Witherspoon, for example.
Lewis is 2001 in SA was unfit, fighting at a slow pace, open-mouthed, straining in the altitude. Bruno would have been good for 4 or 5 fast rounds, and if Rahman could do it, the best version of Bruno probably does it too.

I don't even rate Bruno as a truly world-class fighter, but Rahman was no better, and perhaps even more chinny.

 

Bruno was crap but he was better than Corey "T Rex" Sanders and Lance Whitaker.

Miroshnichenko was an excellent amateur but nothing much as a pro. Great win for Maskaev as a pro debut, but McCall destroyed Maskaev a few fights later, so it doesn't really put Maskaev at a high level.