Frank Bruno vs Trevor Berbick

Berbick was a strange cat. He won all the fights he was supposed to lose and lost some fights he was supposed to win.

I don’t think Berbick was matched to win against Page or Thomas or Tate or even Ali. And he should have beat ST Gordon but he didn’t.

Trevor was very strong and awkward. He would climb all over a better fighter and just out work them. Had a good chin.

Franks jab and control of a ring was very good though. At his best, It was only really Tyson who could rough him up..Lewis kind of got there in the end both &Witherspoon and Bonecrusher benefited from Franks inexperience at that time.

But Frank by the Lewis fight can master Berbick in the way Douglas and Truth Williams were able to. I don’t think Berbick had declined much by then. And those two were better than the versions of the best fighters Berbick had beaten up until then anyway.

Trevor has not got the get out of jail punch that Lewis had or the speed of Tyson.

So I think Frank is Keeping Berbick off and staying one step ahead of him just like Douglas and Williams did.

 

On paper Bruno should win. Points as Berbick was pretty durable. But I can picture Bruno way ahead on points just needing to hear the last bell to win but runs out of gas and either towel thrown in or referee stops fight as he’s pummelled along the ropes or he simply collapses in a heap and counted out. Over ten rounds Bruno points but 12 could go either way. Maybe a bit like Franks win over McCall. Hanging on for dear life in last round to get a win.

 

Yeah, this. Bruno has fight changing power, you're not just going to walk through him. I think his potent jab will do the rest.

 

I'm partial to arguments from both sides and this is a decent one for Frank. For me a big factor will be how Frank's power effects Berbick. He has power in both mitts so he's going to land some good shots at points. Berbick's own power is reasonable but certainly not on the level of guys who turned fights with Frank such as Bonecrusher and Witherspoon.

Perhaps one scenario is that this might go somewhat like Snipes - Berbick with Frank being a little better outside boxer than Renaldo.

I don't see Berbick winning on points. I think he has to stop Frank if he's to win.

 

It's either Bruno very early or Berbick weathers the storm and stops him late on. Berbick could be a little bit vulnerable early on, and Bruno could be vulnerable late on so take your pick, I agree with @JohnThomas1 it all depends how Berbick reacts to getting hit early by Bruno's right hand.

 

I don’t recall anybody dominating Bruno in the first 7 rounds or so…except Tyson…and I definitely cannot see Berbick being any different. Frank’s jab, power punches and work rate would either build up a good lead by halfway or he’ll have KO’d Berbick and be having a victory cup of tea in the dressing room.

But if Berbick is still in it after halfway I can see it getting a little bit hairy for Bruno, with Berbick coming back into it and taking control.

All in all it’s quite an intriguing match up.

 

Berbick was just a plain better fighter than Bruno imo.

Trevor UD, with both men having a couple of shaky moments along the way.

 

On paper Berbick is a much, much better fighter than given credit for. The trouble with him is that nobody really could predict him winning any of his important wins before they happened. Just as nobody ever really remembers fondly enough or appreciates how big those wins even were because I don’t think he really had a fan base and therefore guys he beat were all considered to have had off nights in order to lose to Trev.

They can’t have all of had off nights. Berbick must have had something to do with it.

For all that, I still find Berbick quite difficult to rate. “Capable and weird” is the best way to describe him.

 

I think that about covers it, my friend

 

I take that back. Bruno Late Stoppage.

 

I think it had become fashionable to underestimate Bruno in some quarters simply because to praise him was seen somewhat as being a 'casual' fan when he was fighting, because he transcended the sport in the country. His popularity with everyone made him, and continues to make him, unpopular with us boxing purists, real fans who know what's what ya see...AJ is similarly viewed.

Well, not this guy. Bruno was a ****in animal. Never out of condition, showed huge respect for his sport and his fans, never let himself down and always left his heart in the ring, Tyson 2 excepted and who knows how far down that dark, dark rabbit hole of mental health problems he was at that point. He did the basics very, very well, he hit like a meteor and he fought many dangerous opponents perhaps when he didn't have to. And yes, he fought the Chuck Gardeners of this world too, but go look at almost any heavyweights list on their way up and you will see a similar 'litany of destruction'.

Berbick? Man, that cat was crazy, and whilst crazy might beat karate ten time out of ten, Bruno sparks Berbick and early for me. Why? Berbick would look at Bruno and fancy it. And he'd leave himself open. And he'd never have been hit like he would be rhat night.

 

It was scrapped because Berbick picked up an injury. That opened the door for Bruno vs Bugner in October ‘87.

 

Interesting fight I'd always hoped would happen. I think Berbick either brawls to a points victory of more likely gets sparked out early by Bruno. Trev was a nutter and possibly thinks he could walk through Frank. This would be crazy plan but Trevor was fruit loop so who knows?

 

Berbick

 

This content is protected