Jean-Baptiste Mendy was 57 years old -
SOL PHOTOS / SIPA
Jean-Baptiste Mendy has passed away.
The former French boxer and ex-WBA-WBC lightweight world champion died of cancer at the age of 57.
"It was very fast,"
his son, Ellyson Mendy
, told
L'Equipe
daily
.
He learned of his illness in late June-early July and it escalated.
"
The WBA paid tribute on twitter to the French (55 wins including 31 before the limit, 8 losses, 3 draws), described as "one of the greatest fighters in the history of his country".
Boxer renowned for his elegance, Mendy, born in Dakar and who grew up in the Paris region, seized the WBC lightweight belt in 1996 against the American Lamar Murphy after a first failed attempt in 1994 against the Mexican Miguel Angel. Gonzales.
The WBA mourns the passing of Jean Baptiste Mendy at the age of 57. The Frenchman was Lightweight champion of the pioneer organization and one of the great fighters in the history of his country 🌹🙏 pic.twitter.com/ZN0BQSeG37
- WBA Boxing (@WBABoxing) September 1, 2020
Dropped the following year by the American Stevie Johnston on points in his first title defense, he was mounted in welterweight, suffering a further failure against the WBA holder Khalid Rahilou in 1998. He still manages to win back a belt World Lightweight Championship (WBA) in 1998 against Kirghiz Orzubek Nazarov, whom he lost in 1999 to Frenchman Julien Lorcy before hanging up his gloves in 2000.
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