British boxing legend Frank Bruno admitted he thought he was going to die after being struck down by pneumonia after meeting fans. ‘It was awful – and for a few moments I was fearing the worst’.

The former heavyweight before going to the hospital.

The indomitable former heavyweight world champion battled through the pain, traveled north to west Yorkshire despite feeling unwell, before eventually giving in to the pain and went to the hospital.

He said he was reluctant to go as he did not want to let his fans down.

He said. ‘I couldn’t catch my breath and the more I tried, the more pain I was in. I was not sure if it was my heart or I had broken a rib.’

He added: ‘I can only thank God I was taken there (to a hospital) so quickly. If I hadn’t it could have been a whole lot worse.’

Bruno became one of Britain’s most popular sportsmen during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was involved in major heavyweight clashes with the likes of Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson (twice), fighting on five occasions for the world heavyweight title.

He fell short in his first three attempts, losing to Tim Witherspoon in 1986, Tyson in 1989 and then to Lewis in 1993.

But he battled on and eventually conquered the world when he defeated Oliver McCall at Wembley Stadium on points in September 1995.

Frank Bruno feeling positive and always ready to battle said ‘Pneumonia… you’ve been a knockout!’

He was diagnosed with the infection in both lungs and is now in recovery.