Paul Bamba RIP (english version)

This week brings sad news to the world of boxing: WBA Gold champion Paul Bamba has passed away less than a week after his triumph. Although we did not closely follow this boxer, his association with names like Jake Paul, Tommy Fury, and even singer Ne-Yo brought the news to our attention.

With 14 victories this year, he had just entered the top 15 in the WBA rankings with his most recent win. A record-breaking achievement, but possibly also a problem… Paul Bamba competed in the -90kg category, a heavy division where the current UNDISPUTED heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk once made his mark. Fourteen fights in one year also mean 14 training camps, even if some fights are taken on short notice. This has significant consequences on the human body, which is why various committees impose suspensions following both losses and victories. In amateur boxing, with larger gloves and helmets, fighter protection—while not 100% foolproof—is sufficient to allow for multiple fights within a short period. In professional boxing, however, and with today’s dynamic, where the emphasis is on more KOs, staying active, and self-promotion, having more than one fight per month on average is strongly discouraged.

For Paul Bamba, 2024 was supposed to be a dream year: a new promoter, new opportunities, a series of victories—everything aligning for his desire to fight Jake Paul (the star of the moment, despite his influencer status) to capture media attention thanks to his record.

His name is now etched in the history books for his historic run in 2024. However, we strongly advise other boxers against attempting to break this record. Moreover, for promoters and managers, we caution against building athletes' careers solely on the sporting aspect—chasing every available paycheck. An organization that contacts you for fights every two weeks likely doesn’t prioritize fighters’ health. Diversifying income streams through sponsorship contracts, offering classes or seminars, or pursuing internships with companies are among the many solutions available to athletes to avoid fighting every month and training every day.

Promotion involves building an image and a narrative. The narrative of being “everywhere, all the time” only makes sense once at the top. A career is built through strategic choices of fights and promotions. Fighting in the main event might seem appealing, but often it’s even better to fight on the undercard of a major event. Of course, this is easier said than done; from the outside, we all have good ideas. However, this is a task that must be carefully considered by promoters, managers, and boxers.

As for Paul Bamba, no information has been shared regarding the cause of his death, but we felt it was important to express our thoughts about the management of his career and what has been highlighted since the announcement of his passing.

Our thoughts are with his family, as well as with all the boxers who have lost their lives this year.