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The boxing world is in mourning after news broke that boxer Paul Bomba has died, just days removed from a record-breaking title bout.
He was 35 years old.
According to Fox News Digital, R&B star Ne-Yo — whose management company worked with Bamba — released a statement with the fighter’s family days after he was crowned the WBA Gold Cruiserweight champion.
“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of beloved son, brother, friend and boxing champion Paul Bamba, whose light and love touched countless lives,” the statement reads.
“He was a fierce yet confident competitor with an unrelenting ambition to achieve greatness. But more than anything, he was a tremendous individual that inspired many with his exceptional drive and determination. We are heartbroken by his passing and kindly ask for privacy and understanding during this difficult time as we collectively navigate our grief.”
A cause of death has not been revealed.
Bamba had signed with Ne-Yo’s company just last month, saying at the time, “I’m honored to work with NE-YO in this capacity and I’m grateful for his unwavering confidence in me.”
Bamba has a 19-3 record over the course of his career, and his final bout last Saturday against Rogelio Medina Luna saw him break a record previously held by Mike Tyson.
He knocked out Luna which meant that he was 14-0 on the year, with all wins coming via knockout, setting the record for most knockouts in a calendar year.
According to TMZ, after the fight, Bamba called out Jake Paul telling the social media star and boxer — who fought the aforementioned Mike Tyson in a highly-publicized fight back in November — that if he wants to take the sport of boxing seriously, the two should meet in the ring.
Unfortunately, that won’t be happening. It would have been quite the event.