Francis Ngannou reveals the d3ath of his 15-month-old son Kobe left him considering retirement – but insists he will continue his combat career with ‘motivation to fight for him’ | HO 

Francis Ngannou has revealed that he considered retirement following the death of his 15-month-old son.

The former UFC star-turned boxer took to social media back in April to reveal the tragic loss of son Kobe, who was born in January 2023.

The cause of death remained unknown until the heavyweight’s recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, where he claimed it was due to a malformation of the brain.

Ngannou, 37, also revealed that he was in Dubai at the time of Kobe’s death, and that found out the news by phone call, when his younger brother informed him of what had happened.

Now, speaking to Sky Sports, Ngannou has opened up on the impact the death had on himself and his career, and what he now do after making a decision on his future.

Franics Ngannou (pictured) has revealed that he considered retirement after the death of his 15-month-old son, Kobe

Ngannou, pictured with his mother, has said that he will instead use the events as ‘motivation to fight for him’

The 37-year-old former UFC star has had two professional boxing matches, with the first coming against Tyson Fury (left)

‘Since I lost my son, for some time I felt like I didn’t even have to do this,’ the heavyweight said. ‘Questioning about if I should do it or fight again or something.

‘But I know that my son had something good in his memory and I want to do something to honour his memory. Use this not to be the reason for me to quit, but to be a motivation and also to fight for him.’

Several fans and fellow fighters were quick to send their well-wishes and condolences to the Cameroonian after the news broke in April, including the likes of Conor McGregor and Anthony Joshua, Ngannou’s most recent opponent.

The former UFC man transitioned to boxing in October last year, jumping in at the deep end, first with a controversial loss to Tyson Fury, before a heavy defeat by Joshua in March.

Ngannou’s immediate future appears to be away from the ring and back to the octagon in which he made his name, with a debut in the PFL already lined up against 6ft 8in Brazilian fighter Renan Ferreira, in what would be his first outing since the loss of Kobe.

Speaking on Kobe’s death, Ngannou said: ‘My phone rang; it was my little brother, saying, “Bro, things are not going well here”. He said Kobe passed out. He’s not breathing, we are at the hospital, they kicked me out from the room.’

Ngannou claims that as he attempted to find out more information from his brother, a nurse came out and told his younger sibling that Kobe ‘had gone’.

He went on to describe the impact that his son’s death had on him and admitted it left him with ‘nothing’.

‘In your heart, you feel like you’re broke. You have nothing. Nothing is worth it,’ he explained.

Ngannou revealed Kobe died in a heartbreaking post on his Instagram account back in April

Ngannou was last in the ring in March, when he lost against Brit Anthony Joshua (left)

Tributes for the fighter arrived from the likes of Conor McGregor (right) on the back of Kobe’s passing

‘I’ve always loved life and know that I have everything but I’m [thinking] like, at least whenever I die, I can go see my kid. I’m going to see him. I’m not afraid of it’.

Back in April, Ngannou’s heartbreaking announcement on Instagram revealed the loss of his son, which read: ‘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.’