Bruno fighting to pay £5m divorce bill

Former boxing champion Frank Bruno made a shock decision to return to the ring in order to pay a £5 million divorce bill, it emerged today.

Lawyers acting for his ex-wife Laura have secured the huge settlement - the biggest ever awarded to a partner of a British sportsman - after months of wrangling.

Bruno's challenge to Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison, 31, last week is designed to cover the payout without making inroads into his £10million fortune, friends of the fighter said.

A friend of Bruno's told The Sun: "He has obviously been stunned by the size of the payout but accepts Laura is entitled to it. Frank's deepest desire is for all this to be settled amicably and his children to be well cared for.

"His idea is that he and Audley fight for a purse worth £ 10million and they split it equally whatever the outcome. At a stroke that would cover his divorce payout." Mrs Bruno, 43, was said to be "delighted" with the deal and has already bought a new house where she is living with children Nicola, 20, Rachel, 16, and Franklin, seven.

The settlement is made up of a lump sum plus generous monthly maintenance payments. A friend of Mrs Bruno's said: "She has not been greedy. She has got a fair deal. She put a fantastic amount of work into that marriage and it is doubtful if Frank would have been the success he was without her input."

Bruno, 41, married Laura in 1990 following a long romance. Their troubles began after his retirement. In 1997 Mrs Bruno went to the High Court to gain an order banning her husband from "assaulting and molesting" her. After a brief reconciliation, a quickie divorce went ahead in September 2001 on the grounds that the marriage had broken down irretrievably.

It was thought that Bruno, who won his WBC title by beating American Oliver McCall at Wembley, would never fight again because of growing fears for his sight. He suffered a torn retina when he was beaten by Mike Tyson in 1989.