Conor McGregor sends message to Francis Ngannou following death of his son

Conor McGregor said his prayers are with Francis Ngannou and his family following the heartbreaking death of the MMA star’s 15-month-old son.

The Cameroon fighter announced the shock death of his son on social media on Monday evening, writing: “Too soon to leave but yet he’s gone.

“My little boy, my mate, my partner Kobe was full of life and joy. Now, he’s laying without life. I shouted his name over and over but he’s not responding.

“I was my best self next to him and now I have no clude (clue) of who I am. Life is so unfair to hit us where it hurts the most. How do you deal with such a thing? 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.”

Commenting on the post, fellow MMA fighter McGregor wrote: “I am so sorry to hear of your loss Francis, my prayers are with you and your family at this time.”

The cause of death is not yet known, with those close to the boxer respecting his privacy at such a difficult and surreal moment.

Ngannou pushed Tyson Fury in his first professional boxing match in Saudi Arabia last October, and was heavily beaten by Anthony Joshua in March.

Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh also posted a tribute to Ngannou, as he wrote on X: “My heart goes out to @francis_ngannou for his loss. May his son’s soul rest in peace.” Tyson Fury’s boxing promoter Frank Warren wrote: “Thoughts and prayers are with @francis_ngannou and his family. Terribly sad news.”

Ngannou has overcome everything to get to where he is today, growing up in poverty while in Batie, Cameroon and working from the age of ten. Ngannou had little education due to his working commitments as he provided for his family, working in a sand quarry.

He brushed off approaches to join gangs and pursue a career as a fighter, and at the age of 26 he headed to Europe in an attempt to fulfil his dreams. Ngannou was jailed for illegally crossing the Spanish border, and when he eventually made it to Paris, France, his intended destination, he was homeless before finding a boxing club.

Boxing trainer Didier Carmont introduced Ngannou to MMA and convinced him to focus on that over boxing, and after impressing with a 5-1 record in France he was signed to the UFC. Ngannou went on to become heavyweight champion but controversially left the company despite being offered a record contract, as he wanted freedom and better pay.

The Cameroonian has always wanted to use his success to provide for his family, and give back to his local community back in Africa. Ngannou opened the first MMA gym in Cameroon and now has 26,000 beneficiaries from his foundation that donates educational materials to children and schools.

Francis Ngannou

“When I started, I had nothing. Nothing. I needed everything. But when you start [to earn money], you starting collecting things: I want this, I want this, I want that,” Ngannou once said of his journey to the top. “The purpose is not collecting things, though. The purpose is to do something great. Finish the dream you started.

“I want to help my family, first, of course, but then I want to give opportunity to children in my country like me who have a dream to become a doctor or something. If I reach my dream, it will give me the opportunity to help those in my country who have their own dreams and nothing else to fulfil them.

“I want to give some opportunity for children like me who dream of this sport and don’t have an opportunity like me. The last time I was in Cameroon, I brought a lot of materials for boxing and MMA to open a gym. Now I just bought a big space to start the gym, as well.

“A lot of children now in Cameroon, because of me, they have a dream. They say, ‘I will be a champion in MMA. I will do boxing like Francis,’ because they saw me when I was young. I didn’t have anything. I didn’t have any opportunity. And today, they see me, and they are dreaming. They are thinking that something is possible. Even when they are so poor, something is possible in life. … It’s not easy. It’s so hard, but it’s possible.”

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