Ingemar Johansson, 1958 vs Frank Bruno, 1986, who wins and why?

I think when we talk about levels, it needs to be made clear that it's levels regarding each specific era.
It's comparing an era of 190 pounders vs. an era of 220 pounders. I'm not saying the bigger guys are more skillful, not at all, but they are noticeably bigger.

For me, it's a stretch to imagine Ingo's bingo having the same effect on someone like Bruno as it did on Patterson or Machen. I just can't reconcile that, because Bruno had to fight much bigger men his entire career, and faltered a handful of times. He lost to big men with big man power.
Also, I cannot see Ingo eating power shots from Bruno. Not ever. He got decimated by a cruiserweight, twice. I'm not knocking Floyd or Ingo. It's just a fact.
Ingo may have beaten the odd larg-ish heavyweight, but he didn't have to make a career fighting them. Bruno did.
Imagine Bruno never having to face anyone over 200 pounds his entire career. I'm sure he'd have loved that.

 

Johansson was 200 pounds and hit very hard.
If he finds Bruno's chin, I wouldn't fancy Bruno's chances to shake it off.

 

I can buy that. It's not inconceivable at all that he can shake Bruno.
I just wouldn't fancy the odds of him besting Bruno, unless one is inclined to believe he's that much better than Frank, that the large size disparity counts for nothing.

 

I think that part of the reason that Bruno gets overrated, is that some people think through the matchup backwards.

They almost start with a default assumption that Bruno wins, and try to pick a path to victory for the better fighter.

What they should be doing, is starting with a default position that Johansen or Ramhan would beat Bruno, and trying to pick a path to victory for him.

Then they should be asking how likely that path to victory is, given his actual results in the real world.

 

But that Left hook that Patterson caught him with would have put down a horse. It’s one of most devastating knockout blows ever filmed.

cruiserweight or not, that punch landing as well as it did, takes out anyone.

 

Another question that people who make extravagant picks for Bruno never seem to ask themselves, is if he could have beaten many fighters like Johansen or Ramhan, then why wasn't he searching for a contender or champion like them?

Why was he so protected?

 

It was his manager's job to protect him. If Bruno was thrown to the wolves, he'd have had a terrible manager.
His path to the title was one often picked by fighters. It's actually quite rare for young prospects to fight each other, and contenders fight each other only when they have to.
I agree he was protected, but not more so than many other heavyweights.

 

Depends, I think. Great punch for sure, especially in that very specific moment, but in general it failed to fell a lot of fighters.

 

Ingo is giving up a lot of size and strength to Bruno , a huge amount of reach , etc .. even to the non-juiced Bruno .. I also think that Bruno takes a better shot and was more durable as well and a better boxer with a much better jab ... Info did however have the punchers chance for sure as his power was serious ... I favor Bruno for sure but they first round or two would be interesting ...

 

Wouldn't you have thought that they would have wanted to put him in a few more tough fights before he challenged for a title?

Unless of course they thought that might risk derailing his chances of a title shot.

 

Because there were no fighters as weak as Ingo between Bruno and the title. By the late 80's you had to bring physical advantages and skill to the table to get in the way of a title.

 

I think what you said in your last paragraph is probably what it was.
Who do you reckon he should have fought, prior to his title fight?

 

I think that they got it just about right, but I draw the obvious conclusions.

If they had been more confident in his head to head ability, they would have matched him against somebody like Thomas, Dokes, or Berbick.

 

Micheal Spinks?

 

That's a fair point.
It's as much a business as it is a sport, so I guess in Bruno's case, as is the case with many others, it's a situation of fighting some recognised names to gain experience and exposure, but none dangerous enough to potentially jeapordise your shot at the title.
Either way, the real acid test is when you get that title shot.