Skip to main content

Bruno temporarily blinded by 2010 headbutt attack

Phil D. Jay 
WBN Editor
Former champion set upon in the street

Likeable one-time heavyweight champion of the world Frank Bruno has lifted the lid on an unprovoked attack that happened in Milton Keynes when the former fighter was enjoying a day out with his daughter.

The 51 year-old, who lifted the WBC title in 1995, was minding his own business when a man approached him in broad daylight and headbutted him square in the face, leaving him blind in one eye for three months.

"I try to get on with my life and not bother anyone at all but sometimes people bother me. I'm not looking for sympathy but people take liberties. At the time I had to swallow and let it go,” Bruno explained to Piers Morgan on his ITV show ‘Life Stories.’

"I'm sure my computer could find his face and point him out but what am I going to gain out of it? It was only an eye.

"We are living in a world today where things like that happen, you dust yourself down and get on with it. There are some people who are a little bit more cuckoo than others."

Bruno, lost five times in his 45-fight professional career, twice against a formidable Mike Tyson in 1989 and 1996. The Londoner also suffered defeats in three world title challenges before claiming the title against Oliver McCall at Wembley in front of a capacity crowd.

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

The Tragedy of Billy Collins Jr.

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor  Collins after the fight Williams Ray Collins Jr. or Billy Collins Jr. as he became known, was born to a boxing father in Antioch, Tennessee in 1961. His father William Sr, once fought Welterweight Champion Curtis Cokes and wanted his boy to follow in his footsteps, so decided to train Billy himself. Collins Jr. turned pro in 1981, a welterweight, just like his father before him and impressively won his first 14 professional contests, 11 by knockout with eight inside the first three rounds. It was 1983 and Billy was matched up against Puerto Rican journeyman Luis Resto on the undercard of Roberto Duran v Davey Moore at Madison Square Garden in a ten rounder. Resto wasn’t known for his punching power but Billy took a sustained beating for the full ten rounds, his face, badly damaged and his eyes were almost shut. After the fight, which Resto won on decision, Billy’s father shook Resto’s hand and noticed there wasn’t much padding in his gl...
Read more

Rico Ramos captures world super- bantamweight title with KO

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor ‘Suavecito’ scores 20th straight win over Shimoda Undefeated Californian Rico Ramos produced a world-class left hand in the seventh round of his WBA title challenge against Japan’s Akifumi Shimoda to rip the belt away from the older southpaw in his first defence. The 24 year-old looked far from a world champion in the first five rounds, only gaining a foothold in the fight in round six, but ultimately produced the equalizer in the seventh to take the crown. Shimoda, 26, will be furious with himself as he bossed the majority of the fight and was up five rounds to one on my card going into the seventh round. One lapse in concentration with only thirty seconds left in round seven and Shimoda hit the canvas. The champion tried to get up at the count of nine, but stumbled over and the referee counted him out. The now former champion stayed down for a full minute before being helped to his feet and realising he no longer held the WBA belt. Also on the card i...
Read more

WBN Remembers: "Gypsy Boy" Ernie Smith

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor  (picure by boxrec.com)  After almost a year and a half without one of boxing’s great journeymen, World Boxing News is looking back at the 161-fight career of Worcestershire warrior Ernie Smith, concentrating on his contribution in the ring, rather than the tragic way his life ended out of it. Smith turned professional at super-featherweight in 1998 at the Park Hall Hotel in Wolverhampton, losing a six rounder against Welshman Woody Greenaway.  One month later, Ernie was thrown in with an unknown prospect by the name of Gavin Rees (former world champion and current British Lightweight Champion) who he also took the distance over four rounds. The “Gypsy Boy” then managed to string together a four fight unbeaten run together in early 1999 and ended the year winning five out of his twelve contests, but by this time had already delved into the journeyman pool of boxers with a record of 5-8-1. After settling at the welterweight limit, Ernie ga...
Read more