In a shocking turn of events, the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C) has accused the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) of severe negligence following the tragic death of Nigerian boxer Segun Olanrewaju during a fight in Accra.
Olanrewaju, a 40-year-old fighter known as “Success,” collapsed in the ring and was pronounced dead shortly after being rushed to the hospital.
The incident occurred on Saturday during the highly anticipated Fight Night 15 event of the Ghana Professional Boxing League at the Bukom Boxing Arena.
Olanrewaju was facing Ghanaian boxer Jon Mbanugu in a light-heavyweight bout, when, despite not being struck by his opponent, he suddenly collapsed in the third round.
The cause of his sudden collapse remains unclear, but his death, which occurred around 30 minutes after his transport to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, has left the boxing community in mourning.
Remi Aboderin, the Secretary-General of the NBB of C, spoke with TheCable on Monday, revealing that the GBA failed to adhere to the necessary protocols and regulations before the match. According to Aboderin, the fight was rescheduled without proper communication with the NBB of C.
Initially planned for Thursday, the fight was moved to Friday without obtaining the required approval from the Nigerian body.
Aboderin further expressed concerns that no medical examinations were carried out on Olanrewaju before the fight, and the mandatory weigh-in ceremony was neglected.
These lapses, he argued, were critical oversights that contributed to the tragic outcome.
The death of Segun Olanrewaju has raised serious questions about the safety protocols in place for international boxing events and calls for greater accountability within the sport.
The NBB of C is demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the bout, while the boxing world waits for answers.
“Segun went to Ghana to fight according to the contract, but the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) did not do their due diligence. They did not do the medical examination, and they did not make sure he made the weight for the fight. The date we approved for him to go and fight was Friday, the 28th. How come he fought on the 29th?” he told TheCable.
“He died because the rules and regulations of the sport were not adhered to by GBA. The fight that NBB of C approved for Segun was on the 28th of March, not the 29th. No medical examinations were performed to ascertain his health.
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“We only have this incident because the rules were not adhered to. When the Friday bout was cancelled due to an overweight issue, Segun was already on his way back to Nigeria. He was already at the border before he was contacted to return, or maybe he had a rethink. He returned. No medical was done. No weigh-in was done. He must have been stressed.”
Olanrewaju was a former West African and national light-heavyweight champion.
He competed in 24 bouts with 13 wins, eight losses, and three draws.
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