The Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC) has revealed that boxer Segun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju was not granted approval for the fatal fight in which he collapsed and died in Accra, Ghana, on Saturday, March 29.
Olanrewaju, a former national and West African light-heavyweight champion, lost consciousness in the ring during his bout against Ghanaian boxer Jon Mbanugu at Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League, held at Bukom Boxing Arena.
A video of the tragic bout shows Olanrewaju landing two weak punches before Mbanugu countered with a right hand to his face. Moments later, Olanrewaju staggered backwards, fell against the ropes and collapsed.
Emergency medical personnel rushed him to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The 40-year-old boxer was initially scheduled to fight on Friday, March 28, but was ruled out after being deemed overweight at the weigh-in. Secretary-general of the NBBofC Remi Aboderin told The PUNCH that the late pugilist then took a last-minute fight the following day to earn money, despite not receiving the board’s approval for the new bout.
“Segun got our approval to fight in Ghana, a fight that was proposed to take place on a Friday. Unfortunately, they did weigh-in on Thursday and he was found to be overweight and they told him the person he was to fight was not his weight.
“They said to do this, they would increase his purse with another $500, which he said was too small, and due to that, there was no agreement.,” Aboderin said.
According to Aboderin, Olanrewaju had already left Accra on Saturday morning, heading back to Lagos, but decided to return to Ghana after realising he would struggle financially upon his return.
The boxer was said to have called the Ghanaians to ask if another fight was coming up and told them he was ready to collect the additional $500 offered because he felt it would not pay him if he returned home without money.
“So, they called the matchmaker, who informed him that there was a fight on Saturday night and that they could put the fight for that Saturday, but we didn’t give him the approval for that, and this is where the GBA (Ghana Boxing Association) erred,” Aboderin added.
