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Big Frank Part Six: Fear & Loathing In Vegas and Essex

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 Frank Bruno Unknown to anyone else, apart from Frank Bruno and his trainer, George Francis, Bruno would enter his rematch against Mike Tyson with only one good eye. Oliver McCall caught Bruno in the opening round of his title-winning fight with a punch to his right eye, scratching his eyeball. Bruno knew something was wrong straight away and it would not stop flickering. It went on for months and it was still giving him grief when he travelled to Las Vegas. Bruno refused to see a doctor about his problem - he knew the diagnosis would mean the end of his career and the opportunity of a $6 million payday. Bruno prepared for his lucrative rematch at the World Gym for weeks, but the buildup was a messy affair. Team Tyson was doing its utmost to unsettle the WBC champion. Steve ‘Crocodile’ Fitch and other members of Tyson’s entourage were getting in Bruno’s face - they were even there when Bruno was going on his early morning runs. The mood was more aggressive than normal and the p...
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Big Frank Part Five: Fourth Time Lucky

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 Frank Bruno When Frank Bruno lost his world title challenge to Mike Tyson in February 1989, he spent thirty-three months out of the ring. However, after losing to Lennox Lewis, he ignored all calls for retirement and told his manager, Mickey Duff, to get him another fight. Within five months, Bruno faced thirty-six-year-old American Jesse ‘Boogeyman’ Ferguson at the bp pulse LIVE Arena in Birmingham. Ferguson started in the paid ranks in January 1983, going 13-0 (10 KOs), with wins over Reggie Gross via a third-round TKO, and a ten-round majority decision against future undisputed heavyweight champion James ‘Buster’ Douglas, before Carl ‘The Truth’ Williams stopped him in the tenth and final round of their match in August 1985. Ferguson then lost eight of his next thirteen fights; a sixth-round technical knockout against Mike Tyson, points defeats to James ‘Bonecrusher’ Smith, Anders Ecklund, Orlin Norris and Oliver McCall, a fifth-round retirement against Bruce Seldon, and ten-ro...
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