Former world heavyweight champion Frank Bruno’s unexpected bid for a return to boxing was dashed on Monday after he was told his application for a license would be declined.
Bruno, who has not fought since being knocked out by Mike Tyson in 1996, had made the surprise announcement that he wanted to mount an unlikely comeback to help cope with the effects of the medication he takes for bipolar disorder.
“They made me suicidal — mess up your head, mess up your clock — you cannot sleep,” Bruno said of the medication during an ITV interview.
Photo: AP
“I am walking around break-dancing, I have got so much energy. I feel like superman, I am going to the gym all the time, working hard — that is why I have got to come into boxing ... to get this out of my system,” he added.
However, just hours later, the 54-year-old Briton, who made his professional debut in 1982 and won the WBC heavyweight title against Oliver McCall in 1995, posted on Twitter that the British Boxing Board of Control had informed his agent that “should I apply for a license, this would not be granted.”
Bruno’s agent Dave Davies confirmed the board had been in touch, saying: “Frank, like many other former sports stars, misses the good times when he was in the boxing ring and watching his son train has reignited his wish to return to the ring.”
“However, we have had confirmation today that should an application for a boxing license be received from Frank, it would be declined. As agents for Frank, we must respect and accept their decision,” he added.
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