Former WBC heavyweight world champion Frank Bruno fought in 45 professional contests and the fan-favourite Londoner has revealed the surprising opponent who hit him the hardest during his career.
Bruno famously failed in his first three challenges for the heavyweight throne, losing by knockout to each of Tim Witherspoon, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis, before finally overcoming Oliver McCall to get his hands on the coveted title at the fourth attempt.
Yet, the reign of ‘True Brit’ would not last long, as a rematch with Tyson in his first defence resulted in a second stoppage defeat to the hard-hitting American – in what turned out to be Bruno’s final fight.
However, despite sharing the ring with six heavyweight champions during his time in the ring, Bruno told Solus Ceramics that nobody hit him harder than Floyd Cummings, whom he trumped over via seventh-round stoppage in his 19th pro outing.
“Of all of them I’d have to say Floyd ‘Jumbo’ Cummings [hit me the hardest]. I can still feel the right hand he gave me in 1983.”
Cummings’ loss to Bruno marked a fifth straight defeat since a 1981 draw with the legendary Joe Frazier, causing him to hang up the gloves just four years after his delayed debut, which took place at the age of 29 after serving 12 years in prison for murder.
In 2002, Cummings was sentenced to life imprisonment for an armed robbery, but he was released in 2016.
