Bahubali (L) died days after a bout with Dickson
The sudden death of Ghanaian boxer, Ernest Akushey, popularly known as Bahubali, has not only plunged Bukom into mourning, but it has also reignited fierce debates over the way fights are arranged in Ghana’s boxing industry.
Bahubali passed away on September 23, 2025, at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, just eleven days after suffering a punishing technical knockout defeat to Jacob Dickson at the Bukom Arena.
The tragedy has forced veteran sports journalist Godfred Akoto Boafo to speak out, painting a troubling picture of how the bout was hurriedly pieced together without proper regard for medical checks or fighter safety.
Boafo first cast doubts on whether Bahubali should have been cleared to enter the ring at all, considering the beating he took earlier in May 2025.
He questioned whether Ghana’s boxing authorities had conducted the necessary medical checks after that fight.
We can’t conclude that Bahubali’s death was caused by boxing – Mohammed Amin Lamptey
“Can Yaw Ampofo Ankrah tell me that this young man, when he fought in May 2025 and took a nasty beating, where is the post-fight medical report that allowed him to fight in September?” he quizzed.
His criticism extended to the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) itself, suggesting that the body failed in its duty of care.
“Can the GBA and Yaw Ampofo Ankrah show me that the GBA, under which he’s supposed to supervise, saw a medical report from a doctor who said that Ernest Akushey should be allowed to fight?” Boafo pressed.
Weight management, one of the sport’s most delicate aspects, was also highlighted as a major red flag.
According to Boafo, Bahubali was pushed into an unnatural and dangerous weight jump in record time.
“He took a beating in May, fighting in his natural weight class. When a regular fight comes, there’s preparation for the boxer, because if he has to move up in weight, he must gain the weight. Are they telling me that Ernest Akushey managed to move from being a super middleweight to a cruiserweight boxer in four weeks?” he further asked.
The speed at which the bout was arranged further convinced Boafo that due diligence was ignored. He stressed that a fight of such magnitude normally requires months of preparation.
“This fight was not booked in August. This fight was booked, promoted, and staged within a matter of two and a half weeks. So, when did they start doing these things? The numbers will not add up, and it will not support anybody if we start looking at the numbers that way,” he added.
Boafo also pushed back against the explanation given by the promoters, who insisted the fight was made quickly because it was a grudge match that local communities demanded.
To him, this reasoning was reckless.
Watch the video below:
@adumuahsamuelgmail.com Joshua Clottey advised Bahubali to quit boxing after his last defeat. #boxing #buhubali #ghanatiktok #kumasitiktokers #trendingvideo ♬ original sound – SAMMY OBEY
FKA/AE
Meanwhile, watch interviews with Bahubali’s twin sister and promoter below
