When the tragic news broke that Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna had passed away, Gabriel Flores Jr. (16-0) could instantly relate.

The up and coming lightweight prospect lost his mother when he was just 12-years-old.

"It is sad. You never know when your number is going to be gone. You always hope it will be when it is supposed to be - in a long time. Losing somebody you are used to waking up to everyday is very tough. It is hard to get by. It is especially tough for them because they also lost a sister and the wife lost a daughter so that is a very big impact. For me, how I dealt with it, I started looking at it differently. I was blessed enough to get 12 years with my mother. I could have got a lot less than 12 years. She passed away when I was 12 so I look at that way that I was able to be blessed with her love and everything she taught me for 12 years," the younger Flores told BoxingScene.com.

If the Bryant family were to ask him for advice he said that he would tell them to continue to believe in their faith and to try to be thankful for the time that they had and not to resent that their time together has came to an end.

"I notice they go to church and I would say to continue doing that and pray. That made me feel better. Kobe was a great person and to look at that way with the impact he had on everybody. We just have to be grateful for the time we get even though it is so easy to feel hurt just like I did with my mom," Flores explained.

As for his boxing career, the 19-year-old Flores returns to action on February 22nd on the Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury 2 undercard against Matt Conway (17-1) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The bout will air live on ESPN before the pay-per-view broadcast begins.

Flores said that the fans are in store for a great show.

"It is going to be a great night on February 22nd. I am going to bring the Mamba Mentality," said Flores.

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