I found a thread debating the legitimacy of the result of this that's been closed, I can shed some none defamatory/libellous light on this, if that ok? I though I'd ask before writing it up as a thread already existed and as a noob, I dont really want to hack anyone off
Don King fix was in, they wanted Bruno as champ ready for Tyson's title shot after he got out of nick.
It wasn't a fix. If it was that easy to buy McCall off, why not just do that, instead of involving another fighter? McCall was following a game plan that went wrong, I know, because I gave it to him in the early hours of 20th of August 1995 at Stevenage Ice Rink while discussing amongst other things the upcoming Tyson - McNeeley fight. McCall wasn't in great shape with only two weeks to go till his defence before our conversation to start with, and once I'd pointed out to him that beating Frank Bruno wasn't rocket science, the easiest way being to keep out of his way for 10 rounds, let him wear himself out, as he'd done before, and then then hammer him in the last 6 minutes. I don't think up to that point it was something he'd considered, but afterwards, it's exactly what he did. He wasn't to know that Bruno would be allowed to hug, hold and spoil like he was because if it had been in America he would never have got away with it. Indeed, he wasn't, against Tyson. Mills Lane would have definitely threatened to throw Bruno out the ring in the 12th had he been in charge that night. The last 2 rounds Mccall finally wakes up, not because he suddenly realises he's about to lose and snaps out of some trance, or because a fix was in but because he was happy to tread water up to that point and end it late on, a strategy that was ultimately to lose him his belt. And to correct something from the original thread I picked up on, Wembley wasn't packed that night, it was the polar opposite. The public had lost faith with Bruno's pursuit of glory and didnt turn up in their thousands. Harry Carpenter stayed away because he couldn't stand the thought of Bruno taking another beating and the crowd were moved to seats facing the sky cameras to make it look like there was actually a crowd there and not a rag taggle bunch of die hard fans and sceptical journalists spread out thin and sparse.
it's a true story. No one even knew who he was till we stood talking about the fight we were about to watch, and the upcoming bout in a couple of weeks.
