A Night of Boxing History in Cardiff by Ralph Oates History was made on the 1st of October 1993 at Cardiff Arms Park when Lennox Lewis defended his WBC world heavyweight crown against Frank Bruno. For the first time two British boxers faced each other in the ring for a version of the world heavyweight championship and it was also the first world heavyweight title bout to be staged in Wales. It was a fight greeted with much excitement by the fans of boxing, even casual followers of the sport were interested in the bout and the eventual outcome. The fight received a great deal of media attention. At the prefight press conference, the two men were not complimentary about each other; trading insults at every opportunity. The pair seemed to have a genuine dislike for each other. This added even more intrigue to their meeting inside the square ring. Lewis, a former British, European and Commonwealth, king was the betting favourite to retain his title. He was coming into the fight undefeated with a record of 23, winning 19 inside the distance this includes one bout won by a disqualification and was making the second defence of the crown. Lewis had a sterling amateur career being a gold medallist at super-heavyweight at the 1986 Commonwealth games which were held in Edinburgh, Scotland. He also won a gold medal at super-heavyweight at the 1988 Olympic games which took place in Seoul, South Korea. On both occasions he represented Canada; a country he had emigrated to when a youngster, returning to Britain when starting his professional career under the guidance of Frank Maloney. Make no mistake, Bruno was very popular and was the sentimental favourite. He was loved by the fans, many of whom were hoping that he just might be able to upset the odds and 52 CARDIFF TIMES
win the championship. Bruno was entering the battle with a record of 39 fights winning 36 with 35 of his victories coming inside the distance with three defeats. Bruno was also a former Amateur Boxing Association heavyweight title holder having won the crown in 1980, outpointing Welsh boxer Rudi Pika over three rounds. In doing so the 18-year-old Bruno became at that time the youngest man to win this title. The challenge against Lewis was Bruno’s third shot at a world heavyweight championship. His first bid came on the 19th of July 1986 for the WBA version of the crown challenging the then holder Tim Witherspoon of the USA at the Wembley Stadium, London. On that occasion many tipped Bruno to win and thus become the first British fighter to hold the heavyweight title since Bob Fitzsimmons who had reigned from 18971899. There was a great deal of pressure on the British fighter he had the hopes of the nation resting on his shoulders, the home fans desperately wanted to see a British fighter win a world crown at heavyweight and gave him great encouragement during the fight cheering his every move but sadly after a bright start Bruno was stopped by the ring wise American in round 11 of 15. On the 25th of February 1989 the second bid took place at the Las Vegas Hilton, Hilton Center, Las Vegas, Nevada against the fearsome undisputed king Mike Tyson. Tyson was nick-named Iron Mike and was undefeated in 35 bouts winning 31 inside the distance. He was a man with a seek and destroy mentality; he took no prisoners inside the square ring. At that time he looked unbeatable; a human tank which kept on rolling forward with no reverse gear he was
