Boxing great Roy Jones Jr. is thanking God that he was able to see his son DeAndre the night before he died by suicide at age 32.
“Unfortunately, my son DeAndre took his life on Saturday,” said Jones in a statement shared on social media Monday afternoon. “I’m so thankful that God allowed me to come 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,” he continued. “God gives it and God should be the one to take it away.”
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“Please respect our privacy while my family and I process this loss. Thank you for the love and support.”
— Roy Jones Jr. (@RealRoyJonesJr) June 24, 2024
Roy Jones Jr., 55, achieved multiple world titles in four different weight divisions and became the first boxer to start his career as a junior middleweight and win a heavyweight title. He is the first middleweight champion in 106 years to achieve that goal. Jones achieved a record of 66-10, including 47 knockouts.
Before he became a pro in 1989, Jones represented the United States in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, winning a silver medal.
In the 1990s, Jones was “widely considered the best boxer of his generation,” according to Brittanica. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2022.
Jones has also tried his hand as a rap artist and made guest appearances in different TV shows and films.
Roy Jones Jr. is married to Natlyn. They had three children: Roy Jones III, DeShaun and DeAndre.
“Being a father is really important to me and it’s difficult because I’m gone a lot,” Jones told Jet in 2002.
“But it’s kind of like, in essence, you expect that the father would be gone and doing stuff because he has to provide for home. I just have to be gone more than normal. Although that means home misses me more than normal, but they also get to enjoy a lot more than normal too,” he added.
“It’s a sacrifice, but it’s worth the sacrifice for them I think because as long as I’m there, when I do have time, it’s good. I really enjoy the fact that I can be a father.”
Nicole VanDyke is a reporter for The Christian Post.
