Former light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Yarde revealed on Sunday that his father died from the coronavirus.
In making the painful announcement, the British slugger urged people to stay inside their homes, so the disease doesn't spread any further.
"I'm a very private person, and I'm still in shock, but maybe this can help people stay at home," Yarde said on his Instagram page. "My dad passed away from this virus yesterday, and he was fit with no health issues. The more people go out and mingle, the longer this isolation will last, and the more it will spread. I'm not a doctor, but I do know if you stay home, you are less likely to catch it or pass it on. It's seriously not worth the risk."
Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions, which Yarde fights under, issued a statement offering condolences, as reported by ESPN.
"Frank Warren and everyone at Queensberry Promotions would like to express sincere condolences to Anthony Yarde and his family after the untimely passing of his father. Coronavirus is an issue affecting all of us, but that doesn't make the individual casualties any less tragic. We hope that his fans listen to Anthony's heartfelt plea for people to take the government's advice seriously so we can try and minimize the suffering of others."
In August, the 28-year-old Yarde (19-1, 18 KOs) took on then-WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev. He fought well for the first half of the fight and had Kovalev on the ropes in the eighth round before losing by 11th-round stoppage. He rebounded from that loss by scoring a second-round knockout over Diego Jair Ramirez in February.
Yarde was scheduled to face Lyndon Arthur on April 11, but the fight was postponed due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.