Slice, who shares his son’s name, died tragically at the age of 42 due to heart failure, whilst his 24 year-old offspring aims to continue the family legacy after making his debut as an amateur recently.
Junior knocked out his opponent in just 84 seconds leading to Bellator signing up the young protégé – who is already stirring up considerable interest.
Ferguson has been slated to make his bow for the company at Bellator 160 which is topped by Benson ‘Smooth’ Henderson vs Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire on August 26.
Despite having only two years of training behind, Ferguson Jr. is aiming to make waves in the fight game, just as his father did in backyard brawling, MMA and as a professional boxer.
“I was always around the fight business and everything, so I saw it and I understood what was going on,” Ferguson said in an interview with the Associated Press. “I just knew without a doubt that one day, this was what I wanted to do.”
The Bellator deal was signed just before his father passed away last month and Ferguson is still coming to terms with losing the man he looked up too for so many years.
“I won’t say I adjusted well or it didn’t bother me, but I was talking to him a few days before, so I understood what was going on,” he said.
It was more of a shock to the world, put it like that. It was still a very big tragedy, but I got through it. I’m still getting through it. I won’t say I’m over it, but I’m working on it, I guess,” added Ferguson.
