Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju has died after collapsing during a light heavyweight bout in Ghana on Saturday.
Oluwasegun, a former national and West African champion in his weight class, lost consciousness in the third round of his Ghana Professional Boxing League fight against Ghanaian boxer Jon Mbanugu at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra.
The Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) confirmed the news of his death, stating that, after receiving first aid, he was rushed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where he was pronounced dead 30 minutes after arrival.
The Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) issued a statement addressing the incident.
Oluwasegun was declared medically fit by the Nigeria Boxing Board Control with his certification as a professional boxer before the GBA sanctioned and approved the international contest.
GBA said, “Oluwasegun, a few seconds before the end of round 3, stepped back during the fight and leaned on the ropes with his back without any punch whatsoever from his opponent.”
It continued, “The referee, Richard Amevi, sensing danger, waved his hand for the end of the fight and immediately invited the ringside physician with the support of paramedics from the national ambulance service to attend to the boxer to help resuscitate him.”
The general secretary of the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control, Remi Aboderin, described Oluwasegun as a "fearless" fighter who died a "ring warrior".
Aboderin told BBC Sport Africa, “We are really devastated. [This] is not something we envisaged. We will live up to our responsibility and make sure that we stand [by] the family."
Local reports claim Olanrewaju is believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest but no cause of death has been confirmed yet.
