Frank Bruno, Mike Tyson, and the dream to win the heavyweight crown

The man from Hammersmith, London, landed a hammer of a left on Mike Tyson’s jaw on February 25, 1989.

Tyson wobbled for the first time in his career. He rocked forward into the ropes.

"It was like electricity hit me. I saw a white light,” Tyson said later. "You don’t even know if you are out or not. You think you might be down, but you don’t even know.

"It was like I just walked into a bomb.”

The heavyweight who buzzed Tyson was London’s favorite son, Frank Bruno, who had waited patiently for another crack at heavyweight honors.

Bruno had grown up with issues.

Boxing was his savior.

"When I was 12, I was packed off to a boarding school for problem kids and remained there until I was 16," Bruno told Angela Wintle of The Guardian.

"I was bullied terribly in my first year, but deep down, I knew I needed to go away. It was the bullying that pushed me towards boxing. Dad took me to a boxing club. That first day I got such a hiding that tears were streaming down my face, but I quickly caught the bug."

Bruno’s amateur boxing career was brief but eventful. At 18, he became the youngest ABA heavyweight champion.

He turned professional two years later and quickly garnered notice because of his punching power. Bruno knocked out 21 opponents in succession over two years.

Bruno fought American James "Bonecrusher" Smith at Wembley Arena in 1984. Bruno built up a lead through nine rounds until Smith, with Bruno languishing on the ropes, unloaded numerous punches in round 10 - collapsing Bruno, who could not beat the count of 10. Bruno regrouped and won seven fights in a row - earning a crack at Tim Witherspoon’s WBA heavyweight title. 

The muscular fighter did well early, but Witherspoon took over in round seven and ended the fight four rounds later. Bruno was on another winning streak when he met the electric Tyson.

Tyson and Bruno were supposed to have fought in 1988. That is, until Tyson brawled with Mitch Green, breaking his right hand. More personal problems delayed the fight some more. Tyson was no longer just a fighter.

He was a scandal waiting to implode. The Tyson–Bruno match finally had another date. Bruno’s last bout was in 1987 when he stopped former British champion Joe Bugner. Bruno had also defeated James Tillis and former champion Gerrie Coetzee at Wembley Stadium in London.

Tyson was undefeated in 35 fights, scoring 31 knockouts. His last appearance in the ring had been a short, explosive one.

He had put away Larry Holmes’s conqueror, Michael Spinks, in 91 seconds. The result was brutal, if not very shocking.

Tyson was 20 when he annihilated Trevor Berbick to win the heavyweight championship. He had defended the title seven times, beating the likes of Smith, Pinklon Thomas, Tony Tucker, Tyrell Biggs, and Larry Holmes. The thinking at the time was no heavyweight could beat him other than himself.

Bruno embraced his underdog status.

"I believe dreams come true," he said a few days before the fight. Bruno’s record stood at 32-2 with 31 knockouts.

Round one against Tyson quickly became a nightmare.

Bruno, with a significant reach advantage, jabbed and fired short rights. Some landed, but none slowed down the relentless Tyson. Within 10 seconds, a Tyson blow turned Bruno’s legs to rubber. A right near his left ear floored him. Bruno got up quickly and took a mandatory eight count.

Predator Tyson stalked and rocked. Bruno tried to fight back. He landed a right uppercut - and a left hook that made Tyson take a step back. Tyson mauled Bruno some more. Bruno was deducted a point for holding. Tyson landed a fierce uppercut, but seconds later, after missing his left, Bruno connected with a tree punch combination - punctuated by a left hook on the side of Tyson’s face.

Tyson punched back as he stumbled, missing. Bruno landed another left that Tyson felt. Tyson landed a leaping left hook. He gazed at Bruno after the bell rang, likely surprised the Brit was still standing. Tyson tattooed Bruno with a blows in round two. A heavy right and left hurt Bruno. Tyson continued to beat up Bruno in the next few rounds.

In round five, Tyson forced the gutsy Bruno into the ropes and unloaded a series of brain-altering uppercuts. Bruno looked like a man lost in the fog.

Referee Steele waved the fight off.

“The punch that set it up was a left hook to the body, about 30 seconds before I got him on the ropes,” said Tyson. “He didn’t come back after that punch to the body.”

“

I tried my best,” Bruno said, “But he beat me fair and square.” 

Bruno stayed away from the ring for two years. He came back in 1991 and knocked out four consecutive contenders.

The power was still there.

Another title shot came his way against WBC champion Lennox Lewis in 1993. Bruno fought well in the early rounds, pilling up points with his jab. Lewis eventually caught and stopped him in round seven.

Bruno still dreamed of winning the heavyweight title.

He got one more chance (his fourth) against Oliver McCall in 1996. McCall had shockingly won the title by knocking out Lennox Lewis two years before. McCall had helped Bruno train for his fight against Tyson. The fighters knew each other well.

Bruno boxed and slugged effectively in the early rounds. McCall didn’t start doing much until five, believing that Bruno would run out of gas. Bruno did grow tired in the later rounds, but his lead on the cards was substantial.

McCall stunned Bruno with uppercuts in rounds 11 and 12. Bruno held on and used all his experience to last the distance. He lived his dream, winning the heavyweight title.

“If I never walk again, get run over, or get shot, it’s down in history that I’m the heavyweight champion," said an emotional Bruno.

Bruno held the title for six months.

Tyson was back, and a rematch was on. Bruno was bleeding after three minutes in the sequel after absorbing several overhand rights. Tyson pounded on Bruno in round two. Bruno stayed upright, but the beating was fierce. His corner implored him to throw his uppercut with some Venum. Bruno tried, but Tyson’s onslaught ended matters soon after.

Bruno retired after the fight.

Losing to Tyson stung, as did the criticism of Bruno’s so-called china chin. But how many boxers can say they achieved their dream?

Frank Bruno is one of them.