THE funeral of much-loved Southend kickboxer Joe Emmons will be held next week.

Large crowds of family, friends and fans are expected to gather at Southend Crematorium, in Sutton Road, at 10.40am on Tuesday.

The married father-of-four, who was a Thai kickboxing instructor at Muay Thai Southend, on the Greyhound Retail Park, and TSG Mixed Martial Arts Fight School, in Westcliff, was found dead at home in Vallance Close, Southchurch, aged 41.

Students from the fight school, in London Road, have been asked to wear their branded hoodies for the funeral, out of respect for Mr Emmons.

The instructor, who grew up in Shoebury and attended Cecil Jones College, Southchurch, practiced judo, karate and boxing as a child.

A West Ham fan, he entered the ring to I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles, and watched England play around the world. He took up Thai kickboxing while living in Thailand a decade ago and won his debut professional bout six months later, before winning his first championship three years after that.

Mr Emmons, who won his last UK fight against Remigifus Reblys at Talk Nightclub, Southend, in June, returned the UK to found Muay Thai Southend.

The family are no strangers to tragedy, as his niece Cheznye died after drinking toxic alcohol in Indonesia in 2013.

He leaves behind wife Donna-Marie and a four-year-old daughter.

He has three children from earlier relationships, including 14- year-old Charlie Sanctuary- Emmons, of Southchurch Road, and eight-year-old Georgie.

Mr Emmons died of asphyxiation and hanging, the opening of an inquest into his death last Friday heard.