The Boxing History Blog

 Frank Bruno Frank Bruno was not just recognisable to the boxing fan, he was becoming a huge British celebrity in his own right. Obviously, fighting on the BBC made him accessible to millions, but his infectious personality with his booming voice and laugh made him a hugely popular figure, appearing on all the usual talk and game shows. Plus, the Christmas before his biggest win against Gerrie Cortzee, he played Juliet to British comedian Lenny Henry’s Romeo at the Shaftesbury Theatre for Comic Relief - a charity founded by Lenny Henry and Richard Curtis in response to the Ethiopian famine in 1983 to 1985. The first round demolition of Coetzee ensured Bruno was the top contender to WBA heavyweight champion ‘Terrible’ Tim Witherspoon. Great Britain had not had a world heavyweight champion since Bob Fitzsimmons in 1897, with the nation’s hopes securely mounted on Bruno’s broad shoulders.  More pressure was put on the challenger when it was announced his world title chance would ...

Ricky Hatton, MBE British boxing lost one of its most loved stars when it was announced that Ricky Hatton, the former two-weight world champion, was found dead at his Manchester home at 6.45 am by a member of the public, who alerted the police on Sunday 14th September 2015.  A tribute from his family said: "He had a heart as big as his smile, and his kindness, humour and loyalty touched everyone who was lucky enough to know him," the Hatton family said. "As a family, our loss is immeasurable, and words cannot truly capture the pain we feel. Yet in the midst of our grief, we have been deeply moved by the overwhelming outpouring of love and support. "Richard's memory will forever remain in our hearts, in the hearts of his fans, and in the sport he loved so dearly." Hatton was born on 6th October 1978 to Publican parents Ray and Carol, as Richard John Hatton, at the Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport, Greater Manchester. When Ricky was born, the family lived ...