I am an American. I watched to fight with my father. We were both huge fight fans and follow boxing and its history as far as it goes. I felt like an Englishman that day. we were rooting for Bruno and we were so happy when he won that fight. It was truly a great night and fight to watch! Frank Bruno deserved that one night of Glory. congratulations Frank.
The land of hope and glory brought a tear to my eye that night,it was like a thankyou to Bruno and my mother hates boxing,I didn't want to spoil the surprise of it,it took me ten minutes to convince her I was going to play her something that would make her feel proud.We have a string of top heavyweights today but back then all we had was lennox and Frank,sometimes being underdogs to the great Americans can be a good thing as it was this night.There's a thing going around that brits don't like Americans but it cantle further from the truth,we greatly admire our cousins in the West.
Mc Call was a tormented human being and as such I’m always in favor of him (maybe not when he fought Lewis who was my all time favorite fighter - still a heartbreaking moment when he gave up in the second fight).
Bruno was a top class super dedicated professional fighter. He had 4 world title fights, which tells its own story. He dominated McCall. It was his best boxing ever. He was doing that to Lewis til he got caught. He went toe to toe with Tyson twice, two of the best heavyweights ever. Respect ✌️
I'm not British; but anyone can see what a decent fellow and a gentleman Frank Bruno was......I was very, very happy to finally see him win a World Title. No one can ever take this moment away from him. He did climb to the mountaintop; and that's more than most fighters can ever say.....even with all the belts out there these days. This was a true "feel good" moment. I know it's been 20 years, now; but Bravo to you Frank!
Boxing and Beyond from BFE he’s still a good bloke , he got sectioned a few years back but seems ok now , the British crowd still go mental when they see him at the fights
Not much of a 'moment' when it was handed to him. McCall was robbed by corrupt judges who gave the fight to Bruno. Don't get me wrong, Bruno fought well, but towards the end, he was completely fucked, and he kept tying McCall up to run down the clock, instead of, you know, actually boxing. And Bruno proved his lack of champion status in his next fight, vs Tyson. You could see the fear in his eyes as he was walking to the ring, and with good reason (he got smashed). He was a nice guy, and a charming personality, but he wasn't a champion boxer, and watching this fight again and again, he didn't deserve the decision by any measure. He had it handed to him, because he was popular with the public. All he had to do was last the distance, and he was always going to win. McCall needed to knock him out to win, because the ref and judges were not on his side.
@@zalamael Not a champion boxer? You just watched a video of him beating a world champion. By very definition he was a champion boxer. He fought on and on until he got that strap and nobody deserved it more than he. In and out of the ring he acted like a champion.
@Neil Benjamin Considering we (Britain) have two of the best fighters in the heavyweight division today holding all the gold and not looking beatable to anyone (excluding freak occurences, like AJ not paying attention to Fatty Ruiz and having him go all Hasim Rahman on him), not sure what you mean. This night, I remember dancing around the living room with my dad, practically in delerium at Bruno finally doing it. But we have to be honest here; Frank was always a bottom-of-the-top or top-of-the-bottom fighter. He had questionable stamina and no jaw at all. Three of his losses occured as a result of one hard bunch that turned him into a stumbling zombie, with his hands hanging limply aound his waist and his chin stuck out like a diving board and Jumbo Cummings nearly did the same thing to him, but was stopped by the bell. If Bruno got whacked hard once on the chin, his night was over. He wouldn't have won the title if he hadn't had an opportunity at McCall; a drug-addled fluke who freakily got to wear the belt because Lennox Lewis got bored and didn't concentrate, plus the ref stopped it too early. I was and am delighted Frank got this night, and got paid four million pounds for seven or eight minutes work against Tyson a few months later, but he wasn't a boxing icon. He was a personality icon. Wonderful, lovely bloke, but as a boxer, he has nothing to teach the likes of either Joshua or Fury.
I remember when The Ring saying this guy was THE heavyweight champion of the world. He was IT. He had that moment. It can never be taken from him or the loyal fans of England.
State of the comments on this video. Can tell we're in modern Britain. Bruno was, and IS a LEGEND. Anyone who watched this fight will know what it meant to Frank and the nation at the time. Brilliant
I think this goes beyond Britain too. Bruno's story is timeless. Triumph over adversity. Not the most talented or skilled, lost 3 times trying to succeed in his goal of being Champion of the World and did not quit. And he succeeded in his goal. That he was and is a national treasure and I remember my Dad and I going bonkers when he won is secondary.
There wasn't a dry eye in the house that night. He may have lost to Mike Tyson in his next fight but this night was a fitting end to Frank Bruno's boxing career. He may not have been the best fighter to lace up a pair of gloves but he deserved this moment more than most for all of his hard work, dedication and everything he gave to British Boxing. God bless you Frank!
Agree completely. Bruno was never going to be an all time great or hold onto the title very long, but he fully deserves to have his name in the history books due to his sheer persistence and hard work.
He should never have set foot in the ring against Tyson. He and his team hoodwinked the bloody doctors. His eye was in shit state. I know he got a good few million for the second Tyson fight, which he may consider worth getting mauled for for three rounds, but he SHOULD have been medically retired after this night.
McCall allegedly threatened to put Bruno in a wheelchair before this fight. McCall was a talented fighter who unfortunately never received the professional psychological help he needed to reach his potential as a fighter.
Saw this live at the time and I followed every fight Frank had. I was so pleased for him and even watching it now brings a tear to my eye. Mcall was a super hard guy and Frank deserved this.
I remember watching this when it happened...im 100% American...and i was TOTALLY rooting for Bruno!! One helluva dude....totally deserved that moment!!!!
That was Epic. You can say what you like about Frank, but he fought tough men and kept an air of dignity about him that many fighters either don't have or let go when they get a few quid. He deserves a lot more respect, he earned it.
1995-09-02 - Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London, United Kingdom. "The Atomic Bull" Oliver McCall, USA (26-5-0, KO's 18) vs. Frank Bruno, UK (39-4-0, KO's 38). - WBC Heavyweight Championship of the World - # Oliver McCall's 2nd world title defense: 1994 - # Frank Bruno was world ranked: 6# WBC. # McCall was 30 years old - Bruno was 33 years old = 3 years od age difference. # Both men had an equal estimated reach, but Bruno had a slight height advantage over McCall. BACKGROUND: Oliver McCall first wrested the WBC championship by knocking out Lennox Lewis in an big upset on 24 September 1994 in London. Since then he had made one defense of his world title, a hotly contested and closely fought decision against former world heavyweight champion Larry Holmes on 8 April 1995. Meenwhile, Lennox Lewis had made himself the WBC 1# contender and mandatory on May 13, 1995 after having knocked-out Lionel Butler in an WBC world heavyweight title eliminator contest and once again secured himself in a title position. However McCall's promotor, Don King secured another voluntary title fight for his WBC champion in a monetary big fight with rival British veteran Frank Bruno to take place next up. This was Bruno's fourth attempt (and most likley his last chanse) at winning a world heavyweight title. WBA Champion Tim Witherspoon knocked him out in 11 rounds in 1986, undisputed champion Mike Tyson stopped him in five rounds in 1989, and WBC champion Lennox Lewis finished his fellow Britt in seven rounds in 1993. AFTERMATH: Bruno was the third British-born boxer to win a world title at heavyweight-the other two were Bob Fitzsimmons and Lennox Lewis. Frank Bruno became the first Britt ever to win it on British soil. Now it would seem that Frank Bruno would fight again his British rival and mandatory Lennox Lewis for the title, just this time in reversed roles. However, at the behest of promoter Don King, the WBC bypassed Lewis, despite being both the 1# contender and mandatory challenger and gave "Iron" Mike Tyson the first chance at the title recently won by Briton Frank Bruno from Oliver McCall. Bruno had previously lost to both Lewis and Tyson. King had secured in his contract with McCall-Bruno that the winner of the bout was contractually obligated to defend his belt against the returning Tyson in his next fight. Lewis had the number 1 contender's slot in the WBC rankings when he knocked out Australian Justin Fortune, then defeated former WBO world champion Tommy Morrison in October 1995, followed by Olympic gold medalist and former WBO champion Ray Mercer in a close majority decision in May 1996. Lewis successfully sued to force Tyson to make a mandatory defense of the WBC world title against him. Lewis accepted $4 million from Don King to step aside and allow Tyson to fight WBA world heavyweight champion Bruce Seldon instead, with a guarantee that if Tyson defeated Seldon, he would fight Lewis next. After winning the WBA world title easily from Seldon, Tyson relinquished the WBC title to fight WBA 3# Evander Holyfield instead. The WBC title was declared vacant. This set up a rematch between 1# Lewis and 2# McCall, who met on 7 February 1997 in Las Vegas for the vacant WBC world heavyweight title.
In fact I'll go one further. I roared like a nutcase when Jimmy Lennon Jr. said And New, then when Land of Hope and Glory played I sang along and bawled my eyes out. Love the man, God Bless him.
Yeah, no matter how much everyone was certain, with boxing, you never know. When Lennon Jr said "And.....NEW!", and the smile on Bruno's face, my dad and I went from tensed up and waiting and hoping, to dancing around the living room and hugging. That smile on Bruno's face, the weight of years of trying being lifted off his shoulders. Just brilliant.
I've just watched this again for the first time in 24 years in it's entirety. I found myself filling up again at the final bell, just like I did on that special night in 1995.
Nigels returning the favour as Frank kept jumping up in the same seat when Benn fought Mcclellan.Even though it ended in tragedy,Benn thought it was a nice touch.
Not many can understand the magnitude of what frank done for himself and the country this day.. jeepers when hope and glory comes on after...its amazing. Still get a lump in the throat. Frank..your the man.
Year after year stage after stage he never gave up he never gave up and in this moment he did it and in that ring he stood with tears off joy as he finally did it and Bruno can say he won the WBC Title in his home country
Actually it was Bruce Springsteen's Born In The USA that was playing when McCall first started walking, then it switched to a rap song that he had made for him. This guy has it but won't post it.
But it’s only a 12 round fight, so what’s the relevance! The objective in sport is to be the winner at the end, not 3 minutes later. It’s like saying, if I’d of just ran faster than Lewis or Bolt for the first 100m I’d be champion. He mastered and timed that fight and got his reward!
Frank Bruno was not a great heavyweight but he was great this night. He was in great shape and forth within himself;Bruno is not a natural boxer so he had to fight through his fears, Frank Bruno was great for boxing I'm an American everybody loves Frank Bruno a class act
Oliver McCall from Chicago most underrated heavyweight champion of all time Has one of the best defenses, nobody could hit him solid enuf to put him down
I met frank bruno when i was about 18yrs old when he was training for the first tyson fight met him in a cafe with his trainer having a full english breakfast when i walked in i could here his affectious laugh and just said hi frank good luck he just said thank you and shook my hand and believe me his hands were massive lovely fella
Frank has always been a great, fairly technically sound fighter. His only exceptions were the two Tyson fights where fear crippled him uncharacteristically. But to be quite frank (a pun I know), he's always seemed to be getting the better of his opponents up until he'd run out of gas and come unstuck.
I was a 9 year old kid watching this fight, and I'm an American. I remember this like yesterday. Bruno was always more of Britain's darling than Lewis was because of Lewis's connection to other countries. Plus Bruno had come up short in his other attempts, and it was pretty certain he was not getting another shot after this. This was such a great moment in British boxing history.
I ain't even got the entrances my dude. I reupped this fight in 1 piece cuz when I did it in 4 parts a while ago it had shit missing. I thought I cut off the entrances for copyrights on the songs that got it blocked by YT before. Turns out the entrances ain't even on the old copy I have at all
Bruno never had the best trainers. If he had spent more time training and less time lifting weights, he would have done even better. He needed less mass and more stamina/ agility. First man to hurt Tyson in his prime. Well done Frank!
he beat lennox in his prime, but larry holmes was very old and washed up.. not to take away any credit but larry holmes in his prime would be a little closer fight
At no point was it close. Larry holmes didn't have the strength or big punch to ever hurt mccall. Mccall was being respectful to the champion and didn't really tear into him until larry started trying to punch harder. When mccal opens up on big larry he batters him against the ropes every exchange. larrys face was battered after the fight, it was only close because of mccalls respect for the champ
McCall was such an unpredictable boxer. When his mind was in the right place he could be a dangerous opponent, unfortunately his mind seemed to be all over the place a lot of the time
Just watched that fight for the first time. What a nice bloke Bruno is. Makes me sick that some ignorant blacks would call him an uncle tom. For what? It obviously bothered him by the number of times he mentioned it. A real gentleman!
Those people who say frank was a dirty fighter r funny because holyfield used to headbutt people and tyson bit someones ear off, these boxers r dirty fighters but nobody complains about them especially tyson lol.
Well done Frank for giving it everything and winning the belt he so badly wanted, McCall fought like he'd just been woken out of bed on a Sunday morning.
In Boxing, sometimes we get the "Perfect Storm": The crowd favorite wins over a guy who's his "better" in all ways but the one essential thing that the opponent needs in order to win. Frank Bruno was powerful, but limited & the same could be said for the shorter but much stronger Oliver McCall. Yet, Bruno could box some "sciencewise" and could win in the center of the ring with long blows which McCall just couldn't--McCall had to get in close and force angles for shots. As long as Frank kept in the center of the ring, he was assured of victory! A good fight even with knowing the histories of the fighters and Bruno having a home country advantage. Cheers!
Sou brasileiro e Grande fã desse lutador. Torci muito para que ele vencesse Lewis. Estava vencendo, mas fraquejou na hora de decidir. Lewis era muito bossal e vaidoso ao contrário desse grande cavalheiro.
That's the rap song I was talking about that McCall entered the ring to! I love both these ring entrances! Dude you may as well post the full entrances if you're gonna show all this!
McCall came in with the Tyson ripped towel on. I felt McCall was the more powerful fighter. Didn’t think Bruno was going to win this fight. Tyson wound up ending Bruno’s career 6 months later.
This fight was fixed for Bruno and his friends to win out of the pity . Jimmy Savile and Don King fixed it for Bruno to become world champion. I think I will get myself in trouble because I, along with millions of other can see through the bullshit and lies and are not distracted by the romance and fairytales with happy ending but then what do you do?. When you see the truth do you pretend is not real or do we have a moral obligation to tell the truth to our fellow human beings. I choose to tell the truth when I see it because it's only one truth but if I decide to be a sheep and believe in lies , there's too many lies and it gets too much so the truth is simpler. By the way Frank Bruno was never bipolar. Uncle Jimmy Savile sent him to the nuthouse just in case he spoke what he saw. Frank is kind human and probably didn't have the stomach to absorb what he learnt about his friends like Jimmy and Freddie starr ext so he was labelled as mentally ill just in case he spoke to the press about the rituals he saw. Bless him and bless human but Oliver McCall was told to let him win.
Lets be honest, in every round Bruno's one hand has been on the back of the head of McCal and then arm locking him with the other hand. And the referee didn't take away any points from Bruno for that.It is due to referees ignorance that Bruno won. If you don't believe me, then watch the whole fight again, Seeing is believing.
you can see from Bruno vs Tyson 1 that the ref had to stop Bruno from holding almost every time they clashed. With that ref it would have been a different story
this was a mugging. frank Bruno is determined, yes, but he is also holding, hitting during breaks, rabbit punching, hitting in back of the head. Very dirty fight, more of a mugging then a boxing match.
If I could pick myself a new physique in "the afterlife", I'd want one like Bruno's...chiseled like a marble statue. I sure didn't get a body like that THIS time. Haha
