Where would you rank Bruno in a list of 1990s champs (all alphabet belts included)? Personally I'd go something like this. 1 Lennox Lewis 2Evander Holyfield 3 Riddick Bowe 4 Mike Tyson 5 Michael Moorer 6George Foreman 7 Tommy Morrison 8Frank Bruno 9 Oliver McCall 10Bruce Seldon 11 Henry Akinwande 12 Herbie Hide
I think I'd have Bruno higher than Morrison and, stands back and ducks, maybe Moorer because I think he stands a more than 50% chance of beating either.
Doesnt matter. Seriously. I would put 7 - 12 in a bundle and just throw them away. A bunch of mediocre, accidental, underserved champions. Bruno could be as high as 7th or as low as 12th, depending on your preferences, but it wouldnt matter.
Apologies Pat, Fergy, I've conducted thorough analysis to support my top 25 HWs of all time and top 25 p4p fighters in each decade, including the 90's, based on fights in the decade only, but not a 90's HW list. I suspect that if you limit criteria to bouts contested in the 90s only, you'll find Tyson and Foreman typically get a little overrated, on account of previous achievements and/or making allowances for age and ring absences. Beyond that, there were some capable and dangerous HWs in the 90's, but aside from Lewis, Holyfield and Bowe, not too many with particularly notable winning records vs ranked (by Ring) contenders in bouts contested in that decade. Bruno sits right in amongst them.
I know Bruno beat McCall but McCall has better wins overall vs Lewis, Holmes, Maskaev, Akinwande, Seldon. So I think there is an argument that McCall should be rated higher. And I think he'd fair a bit better against that opposition aswell based on his granite chin. I think Morrison is too high aswell and he definitely should be below McCall. 1. Lewis 2. Holyfield 3. Bowe 4. Tyson 5. Moorer 6. Foreman 7. McCall
That's the thing with those sort of alphabet champs from the 90 s ( and 80 s), you can dig around and find a reason to drop one a few places or raise one etc. I've no problem with switching Bruno, McCall, Moorer a few slot's.
This was apparently the second greatest decade of the division because it was so full of good, interesting names, but I am told that comeback Tyson was trash so how could guys like Bruno be any good? One day, maybe I'll understand.
A lot depends upon what lens we look at these guys through. If we’re ranking them as champions only rather than how they rank in that decade as fighters, that would mean only looking at their title reigns. In that respect, Bruno basically was a guy grabbing the baton and immediately handing it off, and neither the winning nor losing of his crown was exactly epic.
1. Holyfield 2. Lewis (changed in 1999; too late) 3. Bowe 4. Moorer 5. Tyson (neither lineal nor undisputed champion) 6. Foreman 7. McCall (important win; Lewis) 8. Bruno 9. Morrison 10. anyone but Seldon
McCall is ahead of him for beating Lewis and having some other decent scalps. Morrsion, Hide, and Akinwande never held a real belt and shouldn't be allowed on the list, especially if Mercer, Vitali and Damiani aren't.