One of the best-loved boxers Britain has ever produced, Frank Bruno was a big man with a big heart. A courageous fighter, Bruno was a refreshing presence in the posturing world of heavyweight boxing.
Always up for a laugh and a joke, he even developed his own catch phrase, "Know what I mean, Harry", which sprang from the light-hearted interviews he gave to interviewer Harry Carpenter, often just before or after a bout.
He saved his serious side for the ring where he towered over his opponents and fought with an intensity you would not have thought possible judging by his out-of-fight persona.
Big Frank's finest hour came in 1995 when he became World Heavyweight Champion at the fourth time of asking. Oliver McCall took Bruno the distance but the Englishman won on points.
Few boxing victories have ever been greeted with such an outpouring of emotion. A huge crowd at Wembley witnessed the good guy finally coming out on top to become WBC Champion.
The fight that defines Bruno best came six years earlier in his second tilt at the heavyweight title. Pitted against the brutal Mike Tyson in his prime, a legion of fans travelled to Las Vegas to watch the unfancied Bruno take on Iron Mike.
Tyson was unbeaten and many thought unbeatable. No-one could have predicted Bruno would give him the fright of his life and one of the toughest tests he had faced to date.
Things did not start well. In an explosive first round Tyson came out all guns blazing, with Bruno slipping under the weight of his punches and almost going down. But Bruno came back in the same round to rock Tyson with a massive left hook.
Few had seen the American so troubled by one punch, but unfortunately for Bruno he composed himself and came back strongly to win the fight in the fifth round. The thousands of British fans did not fly home disappointed though, to see their champion cause such difficulty to the great Tyson was a victory in itself.
It was Tyson who ended Bruno's spell as heavyweight champion in 1996. Again the scene was Las Vegas and again it seemed like a home fight for Bruno with fantastic support travelling from the UK. Sadly the fairytale ending was not to be. Tyson won the fight, which would be Bruno's last.
A recurring eye problem forced him into retirement from boxing. Since then he has remained one of the most popular sporting figures in his homeland. His charm and infectious sense of humour has been enjoyed by millions on television programmes, or in his many public appearances since hanging up his gloves.
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