Why did Bruno underperform in Tyson 2?

The way people go on about Bruno’s performance in the second fight would have you believe he did well in the first ahahah.

He put in two rubbish performances because he was a mediocre fighter with a good jab in with a very special fighter who had no issues against a good jab.

 

I think age. That and Tyson knew his style by then.

 

"Bruno admits that, in facing Tyson again in his final fight, with an already damaged eye, he jeopardised his sight. “I took a big risk but I’ve got family to provide for and I couldn’t rob a bank. Sometimes in boxing you think if you’ve lost one eye, you’ve still got the other eye. If you damage one hand, you’ve got the other hand. In the ring you go mind over matter.”

The enormity of all he faced seemed to suddenly hit Bruno in the last minutes before he made his ringwalk. “When your eye is not right your mind is there 80% but the other 20% is worried about your sight. The reality hits you in your dressing room so I just went out there and winged it. The fight only went three rounds before he stopped me."


Frank Bruno: ‘I took a big risk fighting Tyson again. I just went out there and winged it’ | Boxing | The Guardian

 

He should have robbed a bank. I bet that’s easier to do with one eye.

 

Well I've done both Pat and I very don't mind telling you that you're either wrong or right. Hmph.

 

It’s true. I keep reading how well Bruno did in the first fight and that he was scared for his eye and past it for the second.

He lost every second bar one in the first fight where he slightly wobbled Tyson, though the way it’s described would have you believe Tyson was out on his feet stumbling around the ring.

The second fight was a total continuation of the first fight. A terrified bloke holding for his life, rabbit punching here and there and being so stiff and upright every telegraphed overhand right nailed him.

I’ve no idea why Bruno gets credit for the Tyson fights. He did much better against Lewis and deserves credit there.

 

Probably as the getaway driver though, would have been instantly recognisable even if wearing a balaclava.

 

Totally agree that his performance in the first fight was overstated. What made it worse, and I’ve mentioned this in another thread, was the way the Sky commentary team in the UK talked him up so much that you’d have thought Tyson was a huge underdog. Gary Mason was making the argument that Bruno was 15 pounds of muscle heavier than in the first fight, so therefore would hit harder. McGuigan pointed out, afterwards, that it meant Bruno was 15 pounds slower.

 

He already had a detached retina going into the fight, and he knew it.

He wasn't in the right place mentally going into the fight, and he knew that it would be his last pay day, win lose or draw.

 

Bruno was very average. He beat a lot of shot older fighters but was never really competitive against the top tier. He was terrified of Tyson and it showed.

 

Never really competitive vs top tier competition ? He was ahead on points vs Lewis and very competitive vs Witherspoon.

 

Whatever you might think of Bruno are you seriously saying he was not competitive against Lewis? Can't get much more top tier than him. Don't know your opinion of Witherspoon but he was competitive there too, to say the least. Against Smith he was ahead too. I do think you have a point about the calibre of many of his opponents, a harder path would have taught him more and given him greater, more valuable experience. Would have made him a better fighter.