Kimbo Slice, Dead At 42

(AllHipHop News) Kimbo Slice, one of the world’s most popular fighters, has died from a heart attack. He was 42.

The early reports state that Slice, real name Kevin Ferguson, died from a heart attack. Efforts to revive him failed.

Slice rose through the ranks of combat sports through an unorthodox method – backyard boxing. He was beloved and criticized at times for his unlikely rise in boxing and MMA. Nevertheless, he was a fan favorite in the UFC and eventually Bellator. Kimbo won his last fight at Bellator 149 in February 2016, but the highly publicized victory over rival Dada 5000 was reversed after the Florida native tested positive for a banned steroid.

A heavyweight in Bellator MMA, Kimbo stood an imposing 6-foot-2, weighing 225 pounds. Overall, he had a 5-2 professional record with four TKOs. Fans know, a lot of Kimbo’s wins were in unrecorded backyard brawls. Bellator’s Scott Coker expressed his condolences.

“We are all shocked and saddened by the devastating and untimely loss of Kimbo Slice, a beloved member of the Bellator family,” Bellator president Scott Coker said in a statement, calling Slice “Outside of the cage he was a friendly, gentle giant and a devoted family man,” Coker said. “His loss leaves us all with extremely heavy hearts, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Ferguson family and all of Kimbo’s friends, fans, and teammates.”

Kimbo had six kids and a partner, Antionette Ray.

The details of his passing were not immediately known, but the pugilist was admitted to a hospital earlier in the day Monday. His condition was listed as “dire.” Later in the evening, multiple confirmations verified that the beloved warrior had died.

Kimbo Slice’s death comes on the heels of another fighter, Muhammad Ali.

Just left @KimboSlice and his cousin Dwyane. He had a heart attack and could not be revived. #RIP @arielhelwani

— Dave Gaston (@Davegaston48) June 7, 2016