Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou shared devastating news on social media, revealing that his 15-month-old son Kobe has passed away.
In a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, Ngannou described his son as "full of life and joy," expressing the profound impact Kobe had on him. "I was my best self next to him and now I have no clue of who I am," Ngannou wrote. "Life is so unfair to hit us where it hurts the most."
"How do you deal with such a thing?" Ngannou questioned. "How can you live with it? Please help me if you have an idea because I really don't know what to do and how to deal with this."
The cause of Kobe's death was not disclosed by the 37-year-old athlete.
"What's the purpose of life if what we're fighting tooth and nail to get away from is what finally hit us the hardest!?" Ngannou expressed in a separate post. "Why does life always take what we don't have? I'm tired."
Ngannou received an outpouring of condolences from fellow fighters, including UFC legend Conor McGregor, during this difficult time.
"My deepest condolences go out to you, Francis. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time," McGregor expressed.
Ngannou's manager, Marquel Martin, shared in an Instagram post that he is "completely heartbroken" for him.
"You have a guardian angel by your side," Martin reassured. "He is with you every day, cheering on his dad and watching him continue to make a positive impact on the world."
After overcoming poverty in Cameroon and homelessness in France, Ngannou gained recognition for his formidable punching power and rose to the pinnacle of professional fighting. He held the title of UFC heavyweight champion before departing from the organization to pursue a career in boxing. Despite a knockout defeat against Anthony Joshua in March and another loss to World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Tyson Fury last year, Ngannou is gearing up for his upcoming bout against Renan Ferreira in the Professional Fighters League.
