Would Spinks be able to cope with Bruno's size and strength? Bruno battered Lewis, even though he lost in the end and he gave Witherspoon a tough time.
Yes…Spinks knows how to befuddle him and exploit his weaknesses. It’s less about Franks power and more about how conventional he is….too easy for Spinks to figure out.
Bruno's untimely loss to Bonecrusher cost him a shot at a ageing Holmes in late 1984. I don't know if any attempt was made by Terry Lawless/ Mickey Duff and the cartel to match up Bruno with Spinks for summer or late 1986 in London rather than Tim Witherspoon. It would have represented a shot at the linear HW champion and admittedly with hindsight probably a easier task. The fight held in Britain wouldve represented a good purse for Spinks with Tyson still rising fast...and no certainty on Cooney. I still see Spinks knocking out Bruno by catching him around 7 or 8 and Frank going into frozen statue mode as Spinks tees of with 10 or 12 shots and Bruno out on his feet
Spinks might be too slick, too fast and defend too well for Bruno's much vaunted power to win the day, but it might be a decent fight. A battle of relatively orthodox fighters, a battle of the jabs and straight punches. And yet. Mike's KO percentage was about 60% overall and about 40% at heavyweight. Would he have the power to keep Bruno off? If he couldn't deter the big man, it might be a short night...
Bruno might start fast as Spinks, wasn’t quite a slow starter, but was a thinker, who liked to download information early and then completely break his opponent down stylistically. So, I mean, he was a slow starter, but it was tactical as he was absorbing information. Bruno is basically a jab and right hand fighter and Michael would take his jab away after a few rounds and he could roll out of the way of the right hand. His awkward attacks and herky-jerky movement would break Bruno‘s rhythm and completely throw him off and I wouldn’t be surprised if he stopped him late. Although I did pick decision because Bruno is a tough guy. It just depends on how much Spinks pushes on the gas at the end.
7 seems a bit early, no? I do agree with the final verdict, but given that it took Tim 11 to take Frank out, I'd think that Spinks would need a similar amount of time, if not more. Witherspoon had more crack in his punches than Michael.
In retrospect, Spinks stopping Bruno would have been a good heavyweight scalp. A better win than Cooney and Taangstad.