Frank Bruno still hurt by Lennox Lewis insult - 'If he had cancer, I'd feel sorry for the cancer'

They were arch-enemies in the 1980s and 1990s when they swapped punches and vicious insults as they battled to be crowned the best on the planet.

But now, two pairs of rivals – Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn, and Frank Bruno and Lennox Lewis – have kissed and made up, sort of, to relive the days when they were world boxing champs.

For the fiery British foursome have reunited for an Amazon Prime documentary series – Four Kings – to reveal the highs and lows of their golden era plus how they helped change the way the nation viewed Black athletes. As we catch up with the legends ahead of Four Kings being released on Friday, it is clear they are still on fighting form when it comes to boxing bravado.

Benn, 60, is the first to take a swipe. He says of Eubank: “I hate him. On a lot of things we don’t see eye to eye.” Eubank, 58, replies: “What I need to tell you is there is a king of kings... and I am he.” The quartet trade insults as they sit together at the series launch at Bafta’s headquarters in London’s West End.

READ MORE: ESPA advent calendar that rivals Jo Malone and Molton Brown beauty editors say is 'pure luxury'

Four Kings provides unprecedented access to the boxers and their families, chronicling the stars’ careers as they navigated fame, fortune, jealousy and bitter rivalries as they battered each other for their place on the throne.

In the four-part series, Bruno, 62, talks about hating Lewis in the early-90s for calling him an Uncle Tom – an insult suggesting he sold out his Caribbean roots to win approval of white people. Bruno is still hurt, saying: “It was horrible. When someone starts going into the Uncle Tom business or whatever, it is a bit strong. That is why if he had cancer, I would feel sorry for the cancer because he was a horrible so and so.”

Lewis, 59, and Bruno are sitting apart from each other at the series launch. Lewis says: “It was pretty toxic between me and Frank. I got under his skin.” Lewis, who beat Bruno in 1993 to retain his heavyweight world title and who had moved from Britain to Canada aged 12, adds: “There was a big cry that I was not British, but I was born in England. My team is West Ham for life. I love fish and chips. He [Bruno] did not want me in England.”

He adds of Bruno doing pantomime: “He was making boxing look bad.” Bruno replies: “I did panto as I was ducking and diving. I just wanted to make the kids happy. He [Lewis] just comes through the country and uses it as his convenience.”

Fans will see the pair trade further insults in Four Kings, although Lewis insists the pair are now friends – just. He says: “It is a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde type of thing. We are nice outside the ring and we bring the real business inside the ring. There is no reason to be mad at each other again.”

The foursome have also been keen to explore the issue of mental health. Despite having previously shared his battles with depression and bipolar disorder, Bruno admits he still finds it difficult to discuss the topic.

He says: “If you tell someone you have got mental health [problems] they will think you are a nutter or something. It is very tough.” It’s not quite politically correct terminology – nor is Eubank’s view.

Eubank says: “When society talks about mental health... if I want to be champion of the world I have to be crazy because normal people cannot do what we had to do. Crazy? Yes of course I am crazy. Look at someone like [racing driver] Lewis Hamilton who is driving at that speed. So he is normal is he? No he’s not. He has got to be crazy. I would never do that.”

He adds: “I wear my heart on my sleeve. Boxing was the right vocation for me because I like to express. It does not seem people look at boxers and think they are emotional but we are very sensitive human beings.”

Eubank also hails former boxer Michael Watson who was the surprise guest at the launch of Four Kings. Watson, 59, suffered a brain injury during his loss to Eubank for a super-middleweight world title in 1991.

Eubank describes Watson as the “fifth boxing king” and says of boxing: “I am not going to call it a sport. It is modern day gladiating. Your life is not on the line with these other forms of entertainment. To get to the top [in boxing] you have to be real. Your life is secondary.”

Fans will see Eubank praise Benn in the documentary, saying: “I wanted to be champion of the world but I had to go through Nigel Benn. He was the most terrifying man I have ever met. But life is a play. I look at Nigel and he is an Oscar winner to me. Lennox is an Oscar winner. How can I hate these people? I love these people.”

Eubank fought Benn twice, winning one and drawing the other. Fans will also get to see a lighter side to the stars, including Eubank enjoying a spliff. He says: “Drugs I never did. Marijuana is not a drug. It is a herb. It helps my mind heal.”

He says that since filming he has given it up. Today, he also talks about racism in his career but adds his advice to youngsters is not to hit back. Eubank says: “If someone is a racist or a bigot why argue with them? You walk around and carry on with your life. Why would you fight with someone who is stupid?”

Benn says: “To see what we went through in the 80s and 90s, the racism. It was hard... Everything we earned, we earned. Nobody gave us nothing.” With a wry smile, he adds: “But we put on a good show. We done good.”

• All four episodes of Four Kings premiere on Prime Video this Friday.