Former world champion boxer Lester Ellis has spent time in psychiatric care over the last few days as he battles health problems.

His brother and former trainer Keith said it might be best for Ellis to spend a few weeks in prison, rather than keep living by himself.

"He's okay, but the last three or four days have been dangerous," Keith told Channel Nine.

It is understood Lester, one of Australia's top boxers through the 1980s and `90s, was charged with affray after an incident on Sunday.

"He had a domestic separation, which caused a problem, and he got on the drink for a while," Keith said.

"He got off the drink, they put him on the valium, he'd get off the valium and they'd put him onto something else."

After Sunday's incident, Lester was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, but was released on Monday.

"It's a joke, to tell you the truth ... they said at the hospital he wasn't dangerous, they keep him tied to the bed all night," Keith said.

"If you're dangerous to someone else, they'll put you in prison and at this stage, I think that would be the best for a couple of months.

"Once he gets his mind right, he'll be right.

"He can do anything he wants to do, he's just got to shift this depression and he's got to stop living by himself - I think that's enough to send anybody nuts."

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