Former professional boxer and American mixed martial arts fighter Kimbo Slice has passed away at the age of 42.

There is still no official confirmation of the cause of death, but it is being widely reported that the star, real name Kevin Ferguson, had a fatal heart attack near his home in Coral Springs, Florida.

Bellator MMA CEO Scott Coker, who represented Slice, told TZ Sports: "We are all shocked and saddened by the devastating untimely loss of Kimbo Slice, a beloved member of the Bellator family. One of the most popular MMA fighters ever, Kimbo was a charismatic, larger-than-life personality that transcended the sport.

"Outside of the cage, he was a friendly, gentle giant and a devoted family man. His loss leaves us all with extremely heavy hearts, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Ferguson family and all of Kimbo's friends, fans and teammates."

Initially involved in MMA, Slice boxed professionally at heavyweight between 2011 and 2013, recording seven victories from his seven fights before re-launching his MMA career - beating Ken Shamrock on his return in June 2015.

Slice, who had been due to take on James Thompson in an MMA Bellator 158 event at London's O2 Arena next month, is survived by his fiancée Antionette Ray and six children.