A Nigerian boxer died Saturday after collapsing during a light heavyweight bout in Ghana, officials confirmed this week.
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Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju was pronounced dead at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra following his fight against Ghanaian boxer Jon Mbanugu, the Ghana Boxing Authority said. Olanrewaju lost consciousness during the match, prompting immediate concern.
The Ghana Boxing Authority reported Olanrewaju controlled the fight until the third round. He collapsed suddenly without taking a hit. Paramedics tried to revive him at the scene before rushing him to the hospital. He died about 30 minutes later.
In a statement, the authority expressed deep sorrow. "We are seriously mourning the demise of a potential world beater," it said. The boxer "was dictating a beautiful fight" before falling into what officials called an "induced coma." An autopsy will determine the official cause of death.
Olanrewaju passed medical checks before the fight. The Nigeria Boxing Board Control deemed him "medically fit," and the Ghana Boxing Authority approved his participation, the statement noted.
Boxer's Background
Olanrewaju's record stood at 23 fights, with 13 wins and eight losses, per BBC Sport. He previously held national and West African titles in his weight class. Remi Aboderin, general secretary of the Nigeria Boxing Board Control, praised him as "fearless" and a "ring warrior" in remarks to BBC Sport Africa.
"We are really devastated," Aboderin said. "This is not something we envisaged." He pledged support for Olanrewaju's family.
Olanrewaju's death marks at least the seventh boxing fatality since February 2024. In February, Irish boxer John Cooney died in intensive care a week after a super featherweight fight in Belfast. That bout left him with an intracranial hemorrhage. In November, Fiji boxer Ubayd Haider died after collapsing during a super featherweight match in New Zealand.
The Ghana Boxing Authority continues to investigate Olanrewaju's collapse. His death adds to growing concerns about safety in the sport. For now, the boxing community mourns a talented athlete's life cut short.
