In a poignant revelation before his tragic death, former champion boxer Paul Bamba admitted to facing harrowing challenges ahead of his April 2023 fight against Chris Avila.. Bamba, who claimed the WBA Gold Cruiserweight title in New Jersey after defeating Rogelio Medina, had set a new knockout record previously held by Mike Tyson, notching his 14th within 2024. The American fighter, with Puerto Rican roots, boasted a professional record of 19-3.. He cherished a close friendship with singer NE-YO and had the distinction of being the first athlete signed to the star’s management company. In a sombre announcement from NE-YO and Bamba’s family, they expressed their deep sorrow over the fighter’s passing aged 35, stating: “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’s final weeks were marked by a candid admission on X – the platform formerly known as Twitter, where he laid bare the extent of his sacrifice; losing 22lbs in three days and enduring a concussion that led to minor brain damage, showcasing the intense physical toll of his sport, reports the Mirror.. In a post shared on X, a fan took a dig at Bamba last month, stating: “Least he had the balls to fight AT. You got slapped by him and he gave you ‘brain damage’ lol.”. Clearly irked by the comment, Bamba swiftly retorted: “Nah fighting Avila with a concussion and losing 22lbs in 3 days gave me slight brain damage. Which was a bit scary and I had to take 8months off so it’s not a joking matter.”. After his defeat to Avila, Bamba bounced back with a victory in January, before embarking on a historic streak in the ring. Bamba was initially set to face Tommy Fury in November 2022, but the bout was cancelled due to a disagreement over weight. Following his latest triumph in the ring, he challenged YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul to a match. He declared: “[Jake Paul] you can come get it, you can come fight for it or whatever, you can keep doing the gimmick fights. At the end of the day, I’ve put in the work.. “You can say you’ve taken boxing seriously and yeah you’ve made a lot of money but you haven’t earned anything in boxing. If you think about how I started everything versus how everything is going now, I didn’t wait for an opportunity I created one. 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 KOs in one year, how many belts have I got here?”
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