Ghana’s boxing community is in shock after Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju collapsed during a bout on Saturday night at the Bukom Boxing Arena.
Olanrewaju was facing Accra-born John Mbanugu, known as “Power,” in an undercard fight of Ghana’s Professional Boxing League when the tragic incident unfolded. Midway through the match, the 40-year-old suddenly dropped to the canvas, prompting the referee to immediately call for medical assistance.
Despite urgent efforts to revive him, he remained unresponsive and was swiftly transported to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
While official reports on his condition are yet to be released, some sources have prematurely pronounced him dead, with speculation suggesting he may have suffered cardiac arrest.
A widely shared video of the fight shows both boxers exchanging blows before Olanrewaju suddenly stumbled and collapsed—just 15 seconds before the end of the third round of the scheduled eight-round bout. Initially, the bellman and timekeeper counted, assuming it was a knockdown, but it quickly became clear the situation was much more serious. Medical personnel rushed in, but their efforts at ringside were unsuccessful, necessitating his immediate transfer to the hospital.
Olanrewaju last fought on December 24, 2024, against Idowu Raheed at the Campos Mini Stadium in Lagos.
The Ghana Boxing Authority is expected to release an official statement confirming the boxer’s status.
