The global boxing community has been shocked by the news that freshly crowned fighter Paul Bamba has died aged 35, only days after he became the cruiserweight world champion.
The Sun newspaper reports that there has been no cause of death yet announced for Bamba, who beat Rogelio Medina last weekend to claim the title.
With that victory, he broke a record set by Mike Tyson for most boxing wins in a calendar year via knockout, with 14 such victories.
Bamba, from Puerto Rico, was signed to pop star NE-YO’s management company and the artist announced the sad news along with Bamba’s family:
“It is with profound sorrow that we announced the passing of beloved son, brother, friend and boxing champion Paul Bamba, whose light and love touched countless lives.
“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.”
Bamba challenged Jake Paul to a fight following his recent victory, and the YouTuber turned boxer shared his own tribute on X: “RIP Paul Bamba.”
Bamba had been scheduled to fight Tyson Fury in November 2022 but the bout was called off due to a weight disagreement.
The boxing community has begun to share their shock at the news. @Boxwerk wrote on Instagram:
“Bamba had a remarkable year, culminating in his record-breaking performance where he surpassed Mike Tyson’s long-standing record with an astonishing 14 knockouts in 2024. His prowess in the ring and his relentless drive earned him the respect and admiration of the boxing community worldwide.”