Prime for prime Trevor Berbick v Frank Bruno

Also, Pinklon and Page were not the strongest guys in the world, so Berbick was able to do some mauling doing.

 

I can see Bruno ambushing Berbick early in this one.

 

Exactly. If anyone is getting roughed up on the inside, it's not Frank Bruno. During his prime years (1991-1993) Bruno was VERY dirty on the inside and had the strength to more or less manhandle anyone. Look at how Lewis looks every bit the skinny guy he was back then against Bruno, something that wasn't apparent even when he grappled with the superheavyweight Tony Tucker.

 

Would you have bet on Berbick over Bonecrusher back in the 1980s?

 

A very reasonable set of possibilities.

On a different note, I also miss the USA cable network fights which as you recall, were hosted by Al Albert and Sean O'Grady. A lot of really good fights came out of that show. From about 1989 to maybe 1993 or so, I was an avid viewer, mainly in my high school and early college years. There was a nice medley of good talent ranging from developing young prospects like Roy Jones, Riddick Bowe, Junior Jones, and James Toney to seasoned veterans like George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Tim Witherspoon, Harold Brazier, Saul Mamby, and Livingstone Bramble ( some of those guys actually spent more time fighting on ESPN top rank boxing, another favorite of mine. ) But, those were the days when boxing was boxing, and good fights could be seen on an almost weekly basis. Throwing a frozen pizza in the oven and cracking open a budweiser ( when the P's weren't looking ), and sitting down to an evening of boxing was a ritual for me. Sometimes I really miss those days..

 

I think there's a considerable difference in chin between Tyson and Berbick, as well as a considerable difference in power. In fact, I think using the Tyson fights as an indicator is (a) unfair on Bruno and (b) not good if the same thing is extended to Berbick, who was easily demolished by Tyson and gave a far less impressive performance than Bruno did against an 1980s Tyson.

How many minutes did Berbick last against Tyson?

It's worth noting that Bonecrusher beat a very green Bruno. If we're talking prime-for-prime. I could just as well use the Mercado fight against Berbick and in fact, in pure terms of durability, I think it suggests what would happen if Bruno landed some of his heavier punches.

Well, one would have to imagine an American heavyweight champion who got multiple chances, having performed impressively on several occasions at top-level opposition, eventually winning the title on the (let's say) fourth attempt like Bruno or even the fifth attempt...

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I wonder how many shots at the title JJW could have got in the 1980s and 1990s?