BoxRec

Just in case you didn't know tonight 11/12/03 Channel 4 9pm there is a Documentary on Frank Bruno.

Cant they just leave the poor guy alone.

I don't think they are doing it to have a pop, I think it's a good idea to show people just how and why it happened to Bruno. I think Bruno was probably always probably half a scotch egg short of a picnic. Without boxing's steadying influence, he went over the brink. I don't think it will be plain sailing for him even now, unless he finds something to occupy his time.

Surely Frank could get involved in the physical conditioning aspect of training young fighters in the amateur scene, a man as dedicated to physical fitness as Frank, could surely work as an excellent motivator for young fighters?

Breakdowns aren't easy to get over, and even a mild breakdown can take years to get over. Actually I'll edit this, because I don't think people ever fully get over them.

I do believe Frank didn't have a really bad breakdown i.e to the extent where he was diagnosed as a schizophrenic.

The point being, there are thousands of people out there who have more serious problems, and nothing ever gets highlited until it happens to a household name.

Bit shit imo.

Hahaha Steve Bunce is on there I see...

"They...they cut off all his life lines...and whats he got left? nothing!"

Interesting paralells with Tyson actually.

Young physically impressive black guy, taken from his own environment, away from everything he knew and moulded by a group of white mentors who crafted him a carefully contrived public image, creating an internal rift.

The difference is I guess is that Tyson went through that upheaval twice, and had a far more troubled background, but it's interesting how both men seem to have ended up with identity problems.

Christ, I hope Frank didn't watch this.

i just feel for the poor guy.

didn't watch it, it's pure exploitation. Tabloid television.

good program, went more detail into his boxing career than i thought they would.

Actually, the programme was far less sensationalist that one might believe, and I thought it treated the subject quite sensitively under the cirucmstances, it certainly didn't portray Bruno in a bad light. The reason I said I hoped it didn't show in Bruno's home is it showed some of Frank's defeats.

I thought Maloney was a bit harsh in calling Bruno a fighter with no skill

I didn't realise until wathing the clips of Bruno v Lewis, just how much trouble he had Lennox in. I remembered him outboxing Lewis, but he had Lewis badly hurt on a couple of occasions. Lewis certainly didn't look chinny though, he took some big licks of Frank.

What was really evident however, was how Bruno gradually got bulkier and bulkier, he got way too thickset later in his career, he looked much more flexible when he was less muscular.

I liked the analysis of the racial sterotyping of Bruno, it's an aspect of his persona I always felt was indicative of his innate lack of self esteem/