Frank Bruno, 63, reveals health update after ex-heavyweight champion fell seriously ill on a long-haul flight

5 days ago 5

By MICHAEL PAVITT, SPORTS REPORTER

Published: 13:27 BST, 9 September 2025 | Updated: 13:27 BST, 9 September 2025

Former heavyweight world champion Frank Bruno has revealed he feels 'really good' after recovering from a 'very scary' medical incident earlier this year.

The British boxing legend, 63, was taken ill on a long-haul flight as he travelled to Thailand back in March.

Bruno fell ill just two hours after his flight had departed Heathrow and was required to leave the aircraft in a wheelchair when it touched down in Qatar's capital city Doha.

Speaking to Matchroom's Modern Boxing Journal, Bruno opened up about the 'very scary' episode, describing how he had woken up in hospital, where he was kept for two weeks.

'I was travelling to Thailand to do four shows and fell ill on the way,' Bruno said, as per the Sun. 'The journey started off good, but a couple of hours into the flight I started to feel unwell.

'By the time the flight landed in Qatar I didn't know what was going on. All I remember was waking up in a hospital with drips and tubes in my arms.

Frank Bruno revealed he is 'feeling good' after recovering from a virus earlier this year

The British boxing legend had been hospitalised after being taken ill during a long haul flight

'I had to stay in hospital in Doha for two weeks, before they let me come back to England.

'I was taken to a hospital in London for another two weeks, and they said I had caught some kind of virus. 

'It was very scary. I don't really remember a lot about it.'

Bruno added that he had been advised to take time off by doctors, leading to him having to cancel a series of appearances at events.

The boxing legend has since been back into the gym and working alongside a new fitness trainer.

Father-of-four Bruno is one of the most popular boxers Britain has ever produced.

He won 40 of his 45 professional fights during a career that spanned 14 years between 1982 and 1996.

He unsuccessfully challenged for the heavyweight title on three occasions, losing to Tim Witherspoon, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis, respectively.

Bruno is one of Britain's most popular fighters ever and won a world heavyweight title in 1995

Bruno won 40 of his 45 professional fights during a career that spanned 14 years between 1982 and 1996

However, he finally got his crowning moment at the fourth attempt when he beat Oliver McCall at Wembley Stadium in 1995 to win the WBC belt.

His reign lasted six months before he was beaten by Tyson for the second time, and he retired shortly afterwards following medical advice due to a severe eye injury.

Boxing took its toll on Bruno, and last year his daughter, Rachel, revealed that he was undergoing scans in hospital amid fears his brain is on a 'slow decline'.

Bruno has previously said he is just 'happy' to be alive following years of mental health struggles after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

His life took a downward turn after he was sectioned in 2003 and admitted to Goodmayes Hospital where he spent a number of weeks.

He has been readmitted to hospital on occasion for treatment since, including recently in 2021 when he hit 'rock bottom' during the coronavirus lockdown.

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