Heartbroken Chris Eubank pays tribute to his son a year after death

Heartbroken Chris Eubank pays tribute to his boxer son, 29, a year after he died from ‘massive heart attack’ in Dubai – as his family reveal they hope his baby son will become a heart surgeon

• The boxer, 29, moved to Dubai where he lived with wife Salma Abdelati
• Sebastian Eubank died a month after Raheem was born from heart condition 
• Both Salma and his father Chris Eubank paid tribute a year on from his death 
• Legendary Chris said he was ‘proud’ of son who had won two professional bouts

Chris Eubank’s son Sebastian who was a boxer like his legendary father died in July last year just a week short of his 30th birthday after suffering a ‘massive heart attack’. 

A year on from his death, his father and wife Salma Abdelati, 41, who lived with him in Dubai, have paid tribute on the anniversary. 

Sebastian, the third-oldest of Eubank’s five children, died from an undiagnosed heart condition while watching the sunset in the sea, 32 days on from when his son, Raheem was born. 

The wish of the family is that the now one-year-old becomes a heart surgeon in memory of his father who went by the name of the Alka Lion and fought in two professional fights, winning both. 

Chris Eubank, 51, told Sunday People: ‘I can’t tell you how proud I am of this man. He was my son and I loved him. Every moment we spent together was my ­favourite but there were so, so many moments I missed when we weren’t together.’

Chris Eubank with two of his sons Sebastian Eubank (left) and Chris Eubank Junior (right) arriving at the NFL Pre-game Party in London

Salma wants her son to become a surgeon, saying: ‘If he picks up athletics as a side gig I wouldn’t mind. For me, he’s got to have a profession that helps people.’

THe 41-year-old who lost her father shortly after her husband added: ‘Seb was so proud of his dad and felt very close to him.It was a deep and spiritual relationship. I see many similarities between them.’

The Sudanese native who grew up in Britain said hears the boxing legend telling her son ‘You are amazing’ and ‘It’s ­really, really nice’ which has been comforting. 

She thinks ‘pure’ Sebastian ‘would want me to be happy and move on’. 

Sebastian leaves behind his wife Salma (pictured together) and his son Raheem 

But said her son could not ‘be exposed to just anyone’ when Sebastian Eubank is a ‘very big person’. 

She adds: ‘Who is going to fill those shoes?’

In 2018 they met and felll in love in Abu Dhabi. She said: ‘We started dating straight away. Within the first 10 days he said, ‘You’re going to be the ­mother of my children – I’ve been manifesting you, I know you’re the one.’ He ­always wanted a lot of children.’ 

She will visit his ‘peaceful’ grave this week in Abu Dhabi with her son who knows he will ‘continue to be part of his life’.  Chris agreed, saying: ‘He is always with me.’

Announcing his death last year, Chris Eubank said to the ‘deep thinker who liked to challenge accepted wisdom’ and was ‘loved and respected by all’. 

The former boxer said: ‘Never did I ever imagine I would write these words or experience the feeling I now have at the loss of my son. My family and I are devastated to hear of the death of Sebastian just days before what would have been his 30th birthday.

Chris Eubank’s son Sebastian died in Dubai aged just 29, just days before his 30th birthday and a month after becoming a father

‘He leaves his wife Salma, his son Raheem born just a month ago, his mother Karron Meadows, brothers Nathanael, Chris, Jr, Joseph, one sister Emily and countless relatives and friends.

‘Sebastian grew up in Hove in England but in the last few years made his life in Dubai where he had a wide circle of friends and was a leader in the adoption of a healthy lifestyle and of alternative therapies.’

The boxing legend added: ‘As well as being a personal trainer and professional boxer, Sebastian was also a deep thinker who liked to challenge accepted wisdom. 

‘He was loved and respected by all who knew him and will be forever in the thoughts of friends and family. As a family we now kindly ask to be given space and privacy to celebrate his life and remember the son, the brother, the husband, the friend.’ 

Sebastian (pictured with his father) during the weigh-in ahead of the IBO World Super Middleweight Title fight in 2019

Salma Abdelati described last year how the boxer ‘died after having one of his favourite meals with one of his closest friends’ and said ‘there was evidence of a pre-existing heart condition we were all unaware of’. 

She said: ‘Dubai Police and the Coroner have confirmed that after a full post mortem Sebastian Eubank tragically died from a massive heart attack whilst in the sea and probably could not have been saved even if out of the water. There was evidence of a pre-existing heart condition we were all unaware of.

‘While still very painful it is of some comfort that Sebastian died after having one of his favourite meals with one of his closest friends whilst doing his favourite thing at his favourite place in Dubai where he often went to swim. He was standing in the water close to shore watching the sunset at Cove Beach in Dubai.

‘I am grateful that he was able to spend a few short and happy weeks with his son before his death.’

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