A bitter dispute has erupted between Nigerian and Ghanaian boxing authorities following the tragic death of former Nigerian light-heavyweight champion Segun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju, who collapsed during a fight in Accra.
The 40-year-old boxer died at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital after collapsing during his bout against Jon Mbanugu at the Ghana Professional Boxing League.
Conflicting accounts from the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC) and the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) have intensified the controversy surrounding the circumstances of his death.
NBBofC Chairman, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, expressed outrage, questioning the GBA’s medical protocols.
“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,” Ladipo stated, emphasizing the necessity of pre-fight medical checks.
He claimed no medicals were conducted before the weigh-in, a crucial aspect of boxing regulations. “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.”
However, GBA spokesperson Amin Lamptey refuted these claims, asserting that all necessary protocols were followed.
“His information was already with us as it was for the previous fight, his records, the reports, and his credibility as a former champion, we know his history, and in Ghana, we have to check this thing as an organisation before the fight was approved.” He further claimed, “Those processes were undertaken (for Olanrewaju).”
NBBofC Secretary General Remi Aboderin countered Lamptey’s assertions, stating, “In this case, there was no invitation to the NBBofC from Ghana.
The boxer got a contract from the promoter from Ghana, he then came to the board to show us, we read the contract paper, saw the date and we gave him a release permit based on that.” Aboderin also claimed no medicals were done on the day of weigh-in.
Coach Austin Okporu, who accompanied another Nigerian boxer to Ghana, corroborated the NBBofC’s concerns, saying, “Even me and the boxer that went for the fight, no medical was done before our fight. I even asked them, ‘Where are the medical personnel for the fight’. It is only a weigh-in and then, they fight.”
In response to the tragedy, the NBBofC has announced a two-week suspension of all professional boxing activities in Nigeria as a mark of respect for Olanrewaju.
The conflicting accounts continue to fuel the controversy, with calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the boxer’s death.
Source: Punch
