Nigerian professional boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju died after collapsing during a bout in Ghana, according to BBC. The 40-year-old former West African and Nigerian light-heavyweight champion slumped against the ropes in the third round without taking a punch.
Olanrewaju backed away and leaned against the ropes just as the round had reached its end. Sensing symptoms of distress, the referee immediately stopped the bout and called in medical personnel. Ringside doctors and paramedics from the National Ambulance Service tried to revive him but, as efforts were in vain, he was declared dead 30 minutes later when he arrived at the hospital.
The GBA had verified that Olanrewaju had been cleared by the Nigeria Boxing Board Control (NBBC) to box. The NBBC, however, later informed The Punch that it had not approved the bout during which he died.
Reports state Olanrewaju was initially supposed to fight on Friday but was declared overweight. On not passing the weigh-in, he intended to leave Nigeria but chose to stay in Ghana as he had money problems. NBBC secretary Remi Aboderin said, “He owed a lot of people money. The matchmaker told him of another fight on Saturday night, but we did not sanction the bout.”
Olanrewaju’s ex-coach, Babatunde Ojo, expressed his disappointment at the boxer’s acceptance of a short-notice fight. “You can’t choose a fight on short notice; you have to prepare for at least a month,” Ojo explained. “I am extremely disappointed in his death. May his soul rest in peace.”
Aboderin called Olanrewaju a ‘ring warrior’ and promised that the federation would take care of his family at this time.
