06/18/2021
'I was a bit of a loner and when I did hang out it was with people older than myself. The good thing was I had an elder stepbrother who looked out for me. He was 6ft 6 and seven years older than me. He told certain friends, donāt get him involved in this or that, look after him. Donāt teach him the wrong way. When I got into trouble he always brought me back. He told me it wasnāt right for a young lad to behave like that.
I used to move around a lot, on bikes from when I was eight, then later on the bus if I had money. One minute Iād be in England, then Iād be in Scotland. Iād be all over the place with friends doing all sorts of things. Getting myself in trouble. My mum and dad were frantic and I got myself in a lot of trouble. Would I tell my younger self not to do it? Well, I learned a lot about life. About looking out for myself. Sometimes you can grow up too fast. I got pulled down by my brother but I saw things I shouldnāt have seen.
From the age of 10 I was down the gym. It changed my life. I started sparring the first day I went down there. I got beaten up, and the next day I went back for more. I wanted to get my revenge. From the age of 12 I wanted to be a champion boxer. People looked at me like I was cuckoo but I was a very determined character. I remember sparring with a guy who turned into a policeman later on. He beat me up, a good counter-puncher, a clever boxer, southpaw. As the years went on I started to keep up with him, though he was four years older than me. I only had three junior fights ā won two, lost one. After I left school I started experimenting more, knocking boys out. I was in the local paper. I boxed for London, then England. Things started taking shape.'
- Frank Bruno