Boxing legend Bruno pens new book
The book is the third memoir Frank has worked on with writer Nick Owens, following on from Let Me Be Frank and Sixty Years A Fighter
Boxing legend Frank Bruno is releasing a new book detailing the last five years of his life
The ex-World Heavyweight Champion is working with writer and former Evening Post reporter Nick Owens, who runs Chester-based media firm Magnify PR.
The book is the third memoir Frank and Nick have worked on and follows on from Let Me Be Frank and Sixty Years A Fighter.
Nick said: “The last two books sold out and although we said Sixty Years A Fighter would be the final book we’d work on, it turns out there’s a few more twists and turns to talk about. So we’ll be bringing out a new book before the end of this year which we hope Frank’s fans will really enjoy.”
During the event Nick also paid tribute to the work Bruno has done to champion mental ill-health.
“Nobody in this country has done more than Frank to shine a light on this issue,” he said.
“People ask me what Frank’s legacy is. And yeah being a World Champion is something nobody can ever take away. But I truly believe Frank’s legacy is on what he’s done since then, and the inspirational way he’s helped champion and fight for an issue which is all too often shamefully ignored.
“The reason Frank has remained so popular and why his books resonate is because Frank has never forgotten his roots. He’s never seen himself as a big time Charlie or celebrity.”
Born in Hammersmith, London, in 1961, Frank won 40 of his 45 professional fights, 38 of them by knockout. He fell short in world title bids against Tim Witherspoon, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis before finally claiming the WBC heavyweight crown with a points win over Oliver McCall at Wembley Stadium in September 1995.
He lost the belt to Tyson in a rematch in Las Vegas the following year and retired on medical advice.
His warmth and catchphrase “Know what I mean, Harry?”, from his interviews with commentator Harry Carpenter, made him one of Britain’s best-loved sporting personalities, and he was awarded an MBE in 1990.
In 2003 he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act and later diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He has since spoken openly about his illness and in 2017 launched the Frank Bruno Foundation, which uses boxing-based programmes to support people with mental health issues.
Frank is expected to visit a host of locations across the UK to talk about his new book in the coming months.