What was Dean Francis’ cause of death, who are his family and how old was the boxer when he died?

BRITISH boxing is in mourning as former European super-middleweight champion has passed away at the age of 44.

Tributes have poured in from the likes of Eddie Hearn, Anthony Crolla and Tony Bellew for the man Joe Calzaghe described as the best British boxer never to win a world title.

PA:Press Association

Hearn said: “My family and all at Matchroom send our deepest condolences to the family of Dean Francis, a great fighter and a lovely man.”

Who was Dean Francis?

Basingstoke fighter Dean Francis was born in 1974.

His crowning achievement in the ring came in 1997 when he knocked out Frederic Sellier, of France, at the London Arena to win the European super-middleweight title.

But his career was hampered by a serious shoulder injury which may well have deprived him of a potential world title and ultimately forced him into early retirement.

What was Dean Francis’ cause of death?

Dean Francis was diagnosed with terminal cancer in January 2017 and given just three to six months to live.

But he fought to the bitter end, determined to beat the illness rather than simply prolong his life.

Francis crowdfunded £48,000 as he turned his back on traditional chemotherapy under the NHS to trial separate treatments in India, Barcelona and Mexico.

He leaves behind wife Ghalia and son Rocco.