Big Frank Part Two: Top Contender

 Frank Bruno

Frank Bruno was not just recognisable to the boxing fan, he was becoming a huge British celebrity in his own right. Obviously, fighting on the BBC made him accessible to millions, but his infectious personality with his booming voice and laugh made him a hugely popular figure, appearing on all the usual talk and game shows. Plus, the Christmas before his biggest win against Gerrie Cortzee, he played Juliet to British comedian Lenny Henry’s Romeo at the Shaftesbury Theatre for Comic Relief - a charity founded by Lenny Henry and Richard Curtis in response to the Ethiopian famine in 1983 to 1985.

The first round demolition of Coetzee ensured Bruno was the top contender to WBA heavyweight champion ‘Terrible’ Tim Witherspoon. Great Britain had not had a world heavyweight champion since Bob Fitzsimmons in 1897, with the nation’s hopes securely mounted on Bruno’s broad shoulders. 

More pressure was put on the challenger when it was announced his world title chance would happen in London on 19th July 1986 at Wembley Stadium. It was the biggest fight the UK had seen and the first heavyweight championship held in Britain since Muhammad Ali faced Henry Cooper at Arsenal Football Club’s old Highbury Stadium in May 1966.

Bruno was now in the big-time and to get the American money, the fight was broadcast live on Home Box Office, their pay-per-view channel, which meant the fight would not take place until 1 am BST, to accommodate the US TV audience.

There was also a huge argument between the BBC and ITV over the United Kingdom television rights. Up until this point, Bruno had appeared exclusively on the BBC, but ITV were desperate to get the fight. It was decided, by all accounts, with a toss of a coin, and ITV showed the contest at 9:30 am Sunday morning and the BBC broadcast it Sunday night.

The British media went into overdrive, and the experts did not think much of Witherspoon, and viewed his WBA belt as inferior compared to the prestigious World Boxing Council counterpart. However, the defending champion possessed skill and a dangerously unconventional overarm right.

Witherspoon was born and bred in the notorious tough boxing city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and after just five amateur bouts turned professional in October 1979, aged twenty-one.

Muhammad Ali employed him as a sparring partner for his ill-advised ring return against Larry Holmes in 1980, and after compiling a 15-0 (10 KOs) resume, Witherspoon challenged Holmes for the WBC title in May 1983. The 42-0 defending champion had an unexpectedly difficult time with the twenty-five-year-old challenger, with the crowd booing the split decision in Holmes’s favour.

Witherspoon returned to the ring two months later, outscoring ‘Jumbo’ Cummings over ten rounds and stopping James ‘Quick’ Tillis in the opening round in their September 1983 contest, before facing Greg Page for the WBC title - vacated by Larry Holmes when he defected to the International Boxing Federation belt when he refused to meet mandatory challenger Page under the terms of a contract with promoter Don King - in March 1984.

After twelve rounds, the title was awarded to Witherspoon by a majority decision. The new champion vowed to stay on top of the division for a long time, but his reign was short-lived when Pinklon Thomas outscored him five months later.

Witherspoon next boxed in 1985, defeating Mark Wills, James Broad, Bonecrusher Smith, Larry Beilfuss and Sammy Scaff enroute to challenging new WBA heavyweight champion Tony Tubbs in January 1986. Witherspoon defeated Tubbs on a majority decision and shortly after the contest tested positive for marijuana. The WBA fined Witherspoon $25,000 and ordered him to give Tubbs a rematch, scheduled for 12 December 1986. However, Witherspoon first had to deal with matters in London.

The British press went into a hype-frenzy, and when Witherspoon finally came over to Britain, he brought a massive entourage with him. Bruno had become accustomed to opponents just bringing over their coaches, but the champion had a posse of people decked in flash jackets and shades. Although the people accompanying the champion were a load of loud mouths, Witherspoon was strictly professional, though you would not say that by the shape he was in. The champion looked out of condition, especially compared to the chiselled Bruno.

At the weigh-in, the flabby Witherspoon scaled 234¾ pounds (106.48 Kg) compared to the challenger’s muscular 228 pounds (103.42 Kg). On seeing this, Bruno decided to start the fight fast, hoping the champion’s lack of conditioning would play into his hands, much to the delight of the 40,000 plus fans, who were mainly cheering for their local favourite.

Bruno boxed well for the first six rounds, landing some good combinations, moving well, and, importantly, took some of the champion’s best shots without flinching. Unfortunately for Bruno, Witherspoon was also taking the challenger’s best shots, and the tougher opposition he rubbed shoulders with during his career was paying dividends; he was relaxed and pacing himself, as Bruno’s brow was furrowed with concentration and he was expending huge amounts of nervous energy.

Though the many in attendance believed Bruno was in front on the judges cards’ going into the the seventh round, the officials slightly favoured the champion: Marcos A Torres had it 59-58 whilst Carlos Sucre scored it 58-57 and Japan’s Takeshi Shimakawa saw it deadlevel at 59 apiece.

Witherspoon extended his lead, taking the seventh unanimously as Bruno slowly began to run out of ideas. The challenger, who believed the fast pace would get to the champion, was beginning to show signs of fatigue. Nothing Bruno threw was connecting with the desired effect and the champion was able to launch attack after attack.

Bruno made a last stand in the eleventh - the furthest he had ever been in his career - cracking Witherspoon with two hurtful punches. The problem for the challenger was that the American landed two better shots. Bruno was rocked and with winning his only concern, decided to tear into the champion again. 

Witherspoon capitalised on the disoriented and defenceless opponent in front of him and unleashed a barrage of overhand rights, pummelling the stricken Bruno in a corner, and landing a couple of extra punches as the Londoner was down. Referee Isidrio Rodriguez of Venezuela had already stopped the contest as Terry Lawless came in with the towel with three seconds of the round remaining.

“I always thought he wouldn’t be a pushover,” praised the champion afterwards. “It was a tough fight and he hurt me, hurt me more times than I’ve been hurt before. Sure, he was beaten tonight but he shouldn’t give up. He is a good fighter and maybe someday he can be a world champion.”

Don King also shared this sentiment, saying: “This was the night Bruno the boy became the man. He came of age in that ring and I can see him getting another shot at the title in about eighteen months. He deserves it.”

The British media, who spent months building Bruno up for his title chance, unceremoniously turned on him, calling him mediocre and intimated they always knew he would not be able to stand up to a real opponent. He was also criticised by Jimmy Tibbs, who helped to train him for the last six years, saying: “Frank is very determined and willing, and works hard at anything he’s shown, but has no natural ability. He’s very strong but stiffens up in the ring and relies too much on his jab. Mobile opponents confuse him…and there's no instinct holding and hanging on when he gets hurt. I wanted Terry Lawless to bring in some tough sparring partners but he wasn’t keen. You can over protect fighters.” Not surprisingly, Tibbs never worked with Bruno again, with George Francis, who was asked to come on board and help prepare him for the Witherspoon fight, working with Bruno for the rest of his career.

Bruno stayed out of the ring for eight months, before returning in March 1987 to face the American James ‘Quick’ Tillis at London’s Wembley Arena. Tillis had a stellar amateur career, winning four Amateur Athletic Union titles, three Oklahoma State Golden Gloves championships and was a two-time regional Golden Gloves champion in a 92-8 record.

He turned pro in 1978 and won his first twenty bouts, before losing a unanimous decision in an unsuccessful attempt at WBA heavyweight champion Mike Weaver in October 1981.

Tillis held a points win over the hard-punching Earnie Shavers in 1982, before losing to the likes of Pinklon Thomas, Greg Page, Tim Witherspoon, Carl Williams, Marvis Frazier, Gerrie Coetzee and Tyrell Biggs, before taking a nineteen-year-old Mike Tyson the distance for the first time in his professional career. He also dropped a points decision against Joe Bugner in 1986, then went 3-2-1 (2 KOs) to improve his record to 36-11-1 (27 KOs) as he looked to face Bruno in London.

Tillis was still seen as a tough, credible opponent, though his desire and ambition in the sport was unknown. Again, like the Witherspoon fight, the interest from the press was intense, and speculation of a future fight with Mike Tyson was intensified when the heavyweight champion was at ringside to see Bruno up close.

The Londoner kept his cool in the opening rounds as the experienced Tillis held and spoiled in his attempt to get Bruno out of his stride. Despite the American landing a few long rights, the local favourite was in control of the contest and in round five he cemented his dominance. 

Bruno opened up on Tillis with a rapid fire assault, cutting the American’s left eyebrow. Blood poured down his face and turned his white shorts crimson. The fight had left Tillis and referee John Coyle halted the action, much to the delight of the supporters, who chanted “Broo-no! Broo-no!”

The sportswriters were impressed and so was Mike Tyson, “Frank did a tremendous job,” said the heavyweight champion. “It was difficult for him at the start because Tillis is very experienced, but he kept working at it until, finally, he got through. He will make a good opponent for me and I look forward to fighting him.”

However, things turned sour for Bruno in his next contest three months later when he faced the American no-hoper Chuck Gardner in Cannes, France, as the British Boxing Board of Control refused to give him a licence to fight in the United Kingdom. Bruno, predictably, blasted Gardner out in under a minute.

The fallout from the debacle was massive, Bruno himself was embarrassed by the situation and promoter Mike Barrett ended his association with Terry Lawless, Mickey Duff and Jarvis Astaire, saying: “It was ludicrous. The public were simply not getting value for money.”

Even the new promoter on the block, Frank Warren, couldn’t resist his “Chuck Gardner? He couldn’t beat my gardener,” jibe.

Things did not improve when Bruno faced Reggie Gross in Marbella, Spain, at the end of August. Gross had a decent 18-5 (7 KOs) record, but he was on a two fight losing streak, and his last contest in June was a one round blowout against Mike Tyson. Against Bruno, Gross showed little ambition and the Briton used the bout as a sparring session before the referee stopped the contest in round eight.

Bruno had to start to face some credible opposition, and this happened, somewhat, in the guise of a thirty-seven-year-old Joe Bugner on 24th October 1987 at Tottenham football club’s White Hart Lane Stadium.

Bugner came to Great Britain as a child refugee, fleeing the Soviet Union’s invasion of his native Hungary in 1956. Bugner, born as József Kreul Bugner on 13th March 1950 in Szoreg, Szeged, was a talented athlete, winning the junior AAA discus title. He joined his local youth club and started boxing to increase his fitness for athletics and was encouraged to box competitively by his trainer.

After a short amateur career he turned professional, aged seventeen, losing by third round stoppage to Paul Brown in December 1967. Bugner was unperturbed and went 31-2-1 (19 KOs), which included Brian London and Chuck Wepner on his resume, before challenging Henry Cooper for the British, European and Commonwealth heavyweight titles in March 1971.

After fifteen bruising rounds, the twenty-one-year-old Bugner was given the tightest of decisions from referee and sole judge Harry Gibbs. The 11,600 at Wembley’s Empire Pool booed the result over the ever popular Cooper, and Bugner never got the adulation from the British public he craved.

Bugner lost his titles in the first defence against Jack Bodell six months later. After his next defeat, Bugner would not lose again until facing Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in February and July 1973 respectively, both by twelve round decisions.

After losing to Frazier, Bugner went 8-0 and faced Muhammad Ali for a second time, this time as challenger for the heavyweight crown in June 1975 at Kuala Lumpur’s Merdeka Stadium. However, Bugner did little favours for himself in a negative display, as shown by the judges wide scores in favour of the champion after fifteen rounds.

A one round destruction of Richard Dunn was followed in October 1976 and Bugner managed to last the full twelve rounds against Ron Lyle in March 1977, losing a split decision. Inactivity followed until a winning return in 1980, only for Bugner to stay out of action for two years, and returned against Earnie Shavers, who stopped him in the second round.

Bugner was active again, winning five of his next seven fights, losing on points to Marvis Frazier in June 1983 and Norway’s Steffen Tangstad in February 1984.

It looked as if Bugner had retired to Australia, only for him to return to the ring in September 1986, outscoring James Tillis over ten rounds. Two months later he outpointed David Bey and in July 1987 he won a unanimous decision against Greg Page, before returning to England for a big-money fight against Bruno.

Bugner against Bruno whetted the British public’s appetite and Matchroom supremo, Barry Hearn, wanted in on the proposed £2 million action the fight would generate, which at the time, was Britain’s highest revenue for a sporting event. The snooker promoter dipped his toes into boxing promotion, and offered the television rights to Greg Dyke of London Weekend Television for £200,000. Dyke agreed, but forked out £250,000 as he did not believe Hearn could deliver on the quoted price.

The press and the bookmakers had a field day, with Bugner happy to play the villain for the British public who had still not forgiven him for defeating their hero Henry Cooper. “The guy will go for sure,” said Bugner of Bruno at the press conference. “A lot of righthanders will be thrown out there. One of them will connect and that will be enough. I’ve been after Bruno for six years. It annoyed me he said I was chicken about the fight…well, you tell him the chicken has come home to roost. It won’t be me who gets hit. I’m a crafty old dog. Henry Cooper said I have the heart of a pea. These old fighters should keep quiet. Henry should stick to golf. His record does not compare to mine. A lot of people say I can’t punch, but I say ask the thirty eight people I have knocked out.”

Bruno did not take the bait, responding with a smile. “I say, keep going, Joe my son. The more you go on rabbiting, the more tickets you will sell and the richer I will be.”

Bugner, who walked to the ring draped in his newly adopted Australian flag, had shrewdly negotiated the Australian TV rights for himself in the fight negotiations, with the British fans baying for his blood.

Every time Bruno connected with one of his powerful punches, the 30,000 in attendance cheered their delight. Bugner was durable and experienced enough to spoil, before taking a big punch in the eighth to put him on the canvas. Bugner was savvy enough to get up, but was quickly overwhelmed by the follow-up attack, with his corner throwing in the towel.

The victory settled an old score with Bugner, who had been disparaging of Bruno’s ability and the strength of British boxing. Bruno was also installed as number one contender to Mike Tyson.

All the best fight fans

Lea

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