Legendary boxer Roy Jones Jr. revealed on social media that his son, DeAndre, had died by suicide over the weekend. Jones Jr., who is 55 years old, took to Instagram to share the heartbreaking news of his son on Monday.
"Unfortunately, my son DeAndre took his life on Saturday," Jones wrote. "I'm so thankful that God allowed me to come home Friday night to spend the last night of his life with me and the family. I know a lot of people are going through tough times right now, but nothing is worth taking your own life. God gives it and God should be the one to take it away."
Devastated Father
Jones asked that fans "please respect our privacy while my family and I process this loss." DeAndre, born on July 1, 1992, was the youngest of three children Jones shared with his wife Natlyn, following his brothers Roy III and DeShaun.
Authorities are yet to confirm any details about his death, which occurred on Saturday.
Jones, a former four-weight world champion, is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in boxing history.
Jones Jr. held numerous championships across various weight classes, from middleweight to heavyweight.
In 1994, he defeated James Toney in a match called the "Uncivil War," winning by unanimous decision for the IBF Super Middleweight championship. At the time, Toney was an undefeated 46-0.
Jones Jr. also had a trilogy of matches against Antonio Tarver between 2003 and 2005, winning the first bout but losing the subsequent two.
Life Marred with Controversies
Despite controversy, the 55-year-old has continued to fight in recent years, even amid calls for him to retire.
After a win in 2018, he returned in 2020 to face fellow legend Mike Tyson in an exhibition bout that divided opinions.
Jones stepped into the ring again for a professional fight as recently as last year, which ended in a points defeat against former UFC star Anthony Pettis.
At the peak of his career, the Florida native was considered the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Since his own fighting career has slowed down, Jones has ventured into coaching, training notable fighters like Chris Eubank Jr. and Jarred Anderson in recent years.
