Frank Bruno showed great determination to get to the very top of the sport during his storied career in the ring.
The London fighter was hugely popular with fans right from the start of his career. He was likeable outside the ring and always entertaining in it with 38 of his career total 40 wins coming by way of knockout.
He fought 45 times in all, and after three failed attempts to win the world title against Tim Witherspoon, Mike Tyson and then Lennox Lewis, he eventually won it at the fourth time of asking when he defeated Oliver McCall over 12 rounds at Wembley Stadium in 1995.
A few months later, Bruno stepped into the ring for the final time to defend his WBC strap against former rival Tyson but was knocked out inside three rounds.
Speaking to Boxing Now, Bruno was asked what motivated him and how he kept fighting.
“I just went back to the gym the next day and got on with life, and kept pushing myself. I did get a lot of criticism from my ex-wife, the fans, my manager, ‘you’ve been in there too long, you’re never going to get the belt,’ you know what I mean.
“I only had it for half a year, but it’s down on record. I had to use that as motivation; it’s freezing with ice out there and you still have to get up and do the business.”
Bruno has previously named McCall as the man with the toughest chin that he ever came up against.
