Tragedy struck the boxing community recently, as reports revealed that Puerto Rican boxer Paul Bamba passed away at the age of 35. However, no cause of death has officially been revealed at the time of writing. The New York native acquired the WBA gold cruiserweight champion title just days ago after defeating Rogelio Medina Luna at the Carteret Performing Arts Center in Carteret. 

Meanwhile, YouTuber-turned-boxing sensation Jake Paul led the way in mourning the death of who could have very well become his rival. After beating Medina on December 21st, Bamba had called out ‘The Problem Child’ to a fight. The Sun also reported that the 19-3-0 boxer was linked to a potential bout against English boxer Tommy Fury. 

After his unfortunate death, Grammy Award-winning singer and manager Ne-Yo alongside Bamba’s family released a joint statement. “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,” it read. 

“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.” Soon afterward, reacting to Bamba’s passing, Jake Paul wrote on X, “RIP Paul Bamba.”

For the unversed, the Puerto Rican signed a promotional agreement with Ne-Yo’s management company and was excited about the new venture. With his victory via a 6th-round stoppage, Bamba not only secured the win but also broke legendary Mike Tyson’s record for most knockout wins in a single calendar year—an astonishing 14 knockouts in just one year.

In fact, he fought throughout the year—quite literally. After losing to Chris Avila in April 2023, Bamba secured four knockout wins by the time March 2024 rolled around. He seemed to be on a pursuit to rapidly rise through the ranks. And secured four more knockout wins in the next three months.

Leaving September, the 35-year-old was fighting every month. At times, he would even fight twice a month, showcasing the determination and resilience boxing is known for. Naturally, Paul is not the only one saddened by Bamba’s passing. 

YouTuber DTG follows Jake Paul to mourn Bamba

British rapper and YouTuber DTG, also known as Deji Araoye, shared the clip of the moment Bamba was announced the winner in his last fight against Medina. He followed that with a series of tweets, reliving the time they spent together preparing for Bamba’s last fight. “I feel pain in my heart,” DTG wrote. 

Revealing the pair had been sparring for some time together, DTG wrote, “[I] watched him lift the belt, spent time with him and bonded with him on a big bro lil bro vibe.” Their time together seems to have left a profound mark on the British rapper. He claimed they ended up making “life-long memories in such a short time”.

“My condolences to his loved ones,” he added. In another tweet, DTG wrote, “This s**t can’t be real[.] I’m crying in the airport bro wtf I’m gonna lose it.” And finally, he concluded, “I’m coming off here for now I’m too emotional [right now] you don’t even understand … I JUST SPENT THE LAST MONTH WITH THIS GUY BRO.”

That being said, Paul Bamba’s passing seems to have affected the people close to him quite deeply. Given the progress he was making, it’s not difficult to imagine, boxing may have lost another world-class fighter. EssentiallySports sends wishes to Bamba’s family in this difficult time. Do you have any parting words for the boxer?