British boxing legend Frank Bruno is reportedly “in a really bad way” in hospital after being taken ill on a long-haul flight. Bruno, 63, was travelling to Thailand to embark on a speaking tour, and was scheduled to appear at four events in the Asian country.

Bruno boarded connecting Qatar Airways flight from Heathrow to Doha. He even posted a social media picture of himself in his seat, smiling with sunglasses on his head.

He wrote: “Morning so the Frank Bruno World tour continues. Up early for a plane, I don’t sleep well on planes but trying to catch up on some zzzzzzzzzzzs.”

According to The Sun, the former world heavyweight champion became unwell soon after take-off. He was travelling with his PA Paul Hunter, who duly alerted crew members as to what was going on.

Bruno was seemingly showing symptoms of a high fever, and received treatment from medical staff at Doha Airport before being taken away to Al Wakra hospital for tests. He was said to have spent almost two weeks in there after being diagnosed with a viral infection.

A source was quoted as saying: “Frank was in a bad way and was sweating profusely and had fever-like symptoms. Paul was worried but was doing his best to keep him calm. He was treated on the flight at Doha, in the airport and then at the hospital.”

They added Bruno was initially tested for meningitis before receiving his diagnosis. He had been due to host the tour’s opening event in Pattaya on March 6, before further talks in Bangkok, Hua Hin, and Koh Phangan.

Bruno’s management have also cancelled a scheduled appearance this Sunday at Manchester’s Hotel Football. He still has further events planned this year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his 1995 triumph over Oliver McCall at Wembley.