World boxing champion Paul Bamba has died suddenly at the age of 35 – just days after making history and telling Jake Paul to “come and get him”.
Last weekend, Bamba captured the WBA Gold Cruiserweight world title in New Jersey after defeating Rogelio Medina.
The victory marked his 14th knockout of 2024, surpassing the record previously held by legendary heavyweight Mike Tyson. Born in Puerto Rico, the American boxer boasted a career record of 19-3 and had recently challenged Jake Paul following his triumph over Medina.
However, just six days after the victory, he was found dead.
Bamba, whose career was supported by American singer Ne-Yo's recently established boxing management company, is leaving the American boxing community in shock.
Ne-Yo, along with Bamba's family, released a heartbreaking statement: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved son, brother, friend and boxing champion Paul Bamba, whose life Light and love have touched countless lives. »
The release further praised his remarkable qualities, saying: “He was a fierce yet confident competitor with a relentless ambition to achieve greatness. But more than anything, he was a wonderful person who inspired many people with his exceptional drive and determination.
Mourning his untimely loss, they asked for privacy, adding: “We are heartbroken by his passing and kindly ask for privacy and understanding during this difficult time as we collectively work through our grief.” »
Bamba had been trained by Malik Scott, who is married to CBS Sports presenter Kate Abdo, and was scheduled to fight Tommy Fury in November 2022 before the fight was canceled.
Bamba had taken the boxing world by storm in 2024, having fought every month except September and sometimes facing multiple opponents in a month.
On Christmas Day, Bamba posted on Instagram: “This year I set out with a goal. That's exactly what I did! It wasn't easy, there were many obstacles that I adapted to overcome and maintain the path we had set, regardless of the extenuating circumstances. 14 fights 14 KOs ending in WBA GOLD cruiserweight world title. Happy to have my family, my team and all my supporters along the way. That being said, if you've achieved what some might call an “extravagant goal”, go for it. Anyone who thinks it's not as brave as you, prove people wrong! »
Following Bamba's latest victory, his manager Ne-Yo took to Instagram to congratulate his client: “Last night, PAUL BAMBA made history! Breaking Mike Tyson's record, 14 fights in one year ALL RESULTING IN KO! End the year with a WORLD Cruiserweight TITLE! ! And the best is yet to come. Congratulations my guy! ! Honored to be your manager. Let's continue! ! ! »
Dominating the ring on an impeccable streak in 2024, Bamba challenged Jake Paul following his latest victory, saying: “[Jake Paul] you can come and get it, you can come and fight to get it or whatever, you can still do gimmick fights.
“In the end, I worked. You can say you took boxing seriously and yes you made a lot of money but you didn't win anything in boxing.
“If you think about how I started everything and how everything is now, I didn't wait for an opportunity and I created one,” he continued. “And I went out and grabbed it by the horns so to speak and did my thing this year. Look at the facts; 14 fights, 14 knockouts in one year, how many belts do I have here?
Paul also addressed the skepticism surrounding his opponents, saying: “I know I'm the best in the world and I'm going to be. [the] world champion. There’s a long line and they can take a ticket and wait in line to see who I want to fight next.
Bamba, who was due to face Tommy Fury in a highly anticipated fight in Dubai in 2022, expressed his frustration after the cancellation due to Fury being seven pounds overweight. “It literally looks like they were planning to fuck me the whole time,” he told the Mirror. “My contract said we had to be the same weight, and they were supposed to give me another option like they did Tommy.”
