Oliver McCall vs. Frank Bruno

The Empire Strikes Back
Date 2 September 1995
Venue Wembley Stadium in London, United Kingdom
Title(s) on the line WBC Heavyweight Championship
Tale of the tape
Boxer United States Oliver McCall United Kingdom Frank Bruno
Nickname "The Atomic Bull"
Hometown Chicago, Illinois London, United Kingdom
Pre-fight record 26–5 39–4
Height 6 feet, 2 inches 6 feet, 3 inches
Weight 234.75 247.75
Recognition WBC
Heavyweight Champion		 WBC
No. 6 Ranked Heavyweight
Result
Bruno defeated McCall via Unanimous decision

Oliver McCall vs. Frank Bruno, billed as "The Empire Strikes Back", was a professional boxing match contested on 2 September 1995 for the WBC Heavyweight Championship.[1]

Background

After Oliver McCall narrowly beat former champion Larry Holmes in his first title defence he agreed to fight WBC No. 6 contender Frank Bruno with the winner contracted to make their next defence against former Undisputed Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson.[2]

This was Bruno's fourth attempt at winning a world 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 Brit in seven rounds in 1993.

The fight

In the opening rounds, Bruno unloaded a barrage of left jabs that left McCall stunned. McCall absorbed the punishment, put up little defense and waited until the fifth round to throw a meaningful punch. But by then, Bruno was confident and ahead on points.

As the fight wore on, it became apparent that McCall's last hope to retain the title was to win by a knockout.

McCall hurt Bruno with an uppercut in the 11th, and in the 12th, McCall shoved the local hero around the ring and unloaded a hard right to Bruno's head. McCall banged Bruno with another body shot and a left-right combination. Bruno, bleeding from the mouth, hanging on desperately, turned the final minute into a dance of attrition.

Judge Malcolm Bulner gave Bruno a 115-113 victory. Newton Campos and Fay Solis each had Bruno the winner by 117-111.[3] Bruno became only the third British-born boxer to win a world heavyweight title along with Bob Fitzsimmons and Lennox Lewis—and he was the first to win it on British soil.

Aftermath

Bruno's regin as Champion was short lived as he lost his first defence against Mike Tyson and retired shortly afterwards.

McCall returned to the ring 6 months later when he beat future WBC heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev. In 1997 he fought a rematch again Lennox Lewis for the now vacant WBC title, which he lost in bizarre fashion as he refused to fight and started crying.

Undercard

Confirmed bouts:[4]

WinnerLoserWeight division/title belt(s) disputedResult
United Kingdom Nigel Benn United States Daniel Perez WBC World super middleweight title 7th-round KO.
United States Virgil Hill Malawi Drake Thadzi WBA World light heavyweight title Unanimous Decision.
Non-TV bouts
Albania Bahre Ahmeti United Kingdom Steve Foster vacant IBF Inter-Continental super welterweight title 4th-round TKO
United Kingdom Paul Ryan United Kingdom Karl Taylor Welterweight (8 rounds) 3rd-round TKO

References

  1. ↑ "Oliver McCall vs Frank Bruno". BoxRec.
  2. ↑ "McCall will test Bruno's survival instinct". 2 September 1995.
  3. ↑ GLAUBER, BILL (3 September 1995). "BOXING : Bruno Defeats McCall to Capture WBC Title" – via LA Times.
  4. ↑ "Event". BoxRec.
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