Boxing authorities have clashed over the circumstances surrounding the death of former Nigerian champion Segun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju, with conflicting accounts regarding his medical clearance before his fatal bout in Accra.
The 40-year-old, who was a former National and West African light-heavyweight champion, collapsed in the ring during his fight against Ghanaian boxer Jon Mbanugu at Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League at Bukom Boxing Arena on Saturday. He was later declared dead at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, Chairman of the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC), expressed outrage, questioning the medical procedures followed by Ghanaian authorities. “It was devastating and we in Nigeria have been thrown into mourning. How can a former Nigerian champion go for a fight in Ghana and die in the ring? We are asking the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) to explain the circumstances that led to his death because the fighter was released by the NBBofC to go there and fight on Friday,” said Ladipo. He stressed the importance of medical checks, stating, “The rule of the game is that 24 hours before a fight, you must do your medical and weigh-in, and the weigh-in was done but medical was not done, and the medical is the most important aspect.”
In response, GBA spokesperson Amin Lamptey defended their protocols, asserting that all necessary procedures were followed. “What happened is very sad and all of us here commiserate with his family,” Lamptey said. “He was supposed to fight on Friday, but the fight couldn’t happen, so the promotion connected with the Ghana Boxing Authority and requested for him to be on the undercard of the next fight. His information, records, and reports were all with us, and we ensured proper medical checks were made before and after the fight.”
However, NBBofC Secretary General Remi Aboderin disputed these claims. “There was no invitation to the NBBofC from Ghana. The boxer got a contract from the promoter, and he came to the board for approval. We gave him a release permit based on that. But there was no medical conducted in Ghana, despite the weigh-in taking place,” Aboderin explained.
WBF medical guidelines state that a pre-contest medical examination should be conducted before the weigh-in, with post-contest checks for each fighter. Coach Austin Okporu, who accompanied another Nigerian boxer to Ghana, supported the NBBofC’s concerns, revealing that no medical was performed before his own fight either.
In the wake of Olanrewaju’s death, the NBBofC has announced a two-week suspension of all professional boxing activities in Nigeria to honor the deceased fighter.
