Ghana’s boxing community has been left in shock after Nigerian fighter Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju collapsed in the ring on Saturday night during a bout at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra.
Olanrewaju, 40, was competing against Accra-born boxer John Mbanugu, known as “Power,” in an undercard match of Ghana’s Professional Boxing League when the incident occurred. In the third round of the scheduled eight-round fight, Olanrewaju suddenly fell to the canvas, prompting the referee to immediately call for medical assistance.
Despite urgent attempts to revive him, the Nigerian boxer remained unresponsive and was quickly transported to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. While official confirmation of his condition is still pending, some reports speculate that he may have suffered cardiac arrest, with unverified sources prematurely claiming he has passed away.
A widely circulated video of the match shows both fighters actively engaging in exchanges before Olanrewaju stumbled and collapsed—just 15 seconds before the end of the third round. Initially, the timekeeper and bellman assumed it was a knockdown and started counting, but the severity of the situation quickly became evident. Medical personnel rushed to provide first aid, but their efforts at ringside proved unsuccessful, leading to his immediate evacuation to the hospital.
Olanrewaju’s most recent fight took place on December 24, 2024, when he faced Idowu Raheed at the Campos Mini Stadium in Lagos, Nigeria.
The Ghana Boxing Authority is expected to release an official statement confirming his status in the coming hours. The incident has raised concerns over boxer safety and the need for enhanced medical preparedness during professional bouts.
Source:https://x.com/tv3_ghana/status/1906266982330007944?s=19