Kevin Ferguson, more popularly known as Kimbo Slice, became an internet sensation when recordings of his backstreet brawls were posted on the web. It earned him the nickname “King of the Web Brawlers” and a legitimate career as a professional fighter.
Slice went seven fights unbeaten as a professional boxer, had eight official mixed martial arts bouts (including in the UFC), and won five of them, and two exhibition contests, winning one.
His notoriety in the fight game even saw him earn some mainstream fame. He has six movie credits to his name, including playing Bludge in 2008’s Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh, and Zulu Kondo in 2012’s The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption.
Sadly, Slice is no longer with us. So what happened?
How did Kimbo Slice die?
As per The New York Times, on June 6, 2016, Kimbo Slice passed away from congestive heart failure one day after being admitted to a hospital in Margate, Florida, where he was told he would need a heart transplant. He was just 42.
Slice had complained about severe abdominal pain, shortness of breath, and nausea before being admitted, and an autopsy later revealed he also had a neoplastic mass on his liver.
He wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea — he received endless criticism and claims he wasn’t a skilled fighter — but Slice’s achievements aren’t to be sniffed at. To go from yard fights to the high-profile professional circuit is impressive.
Slice was also the father of six children — Kevin Ferguson Jr., Kevin Ferguson II, Kevlar Ferguson, Kassandra Ferguson, Kiara Ferguson, and Kevina Ferguson — a stepfather of two and a grandfather to a brood that’s still growing. He was also engaged to his long-term girlfriend, Antoinette Ray when he died. He is missed by many and may he rest in peace.
