The Ghana Boxing League took a tragic turn on Saturday, March 29, 2025, when Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju collapsed during a bout against Ghana’s John Mbanugu.
Olanrewaju started the match on the front foot, seemingly gaining the upper hand over his opponent in the first round.
He relied on his quick footwork to distract Mbanugu and landed some solid punches, but his opponent remained composed and delivered clean shots when necessary.
After two rounds, the bout was evenly contested and headed into the third, where the tragic incident occurred.
Olanrewaju had switched to a defensive stance while Mbanugu looked for an opening. The latter managed to punch through Olanrewaju’s guard.
Although the punch was not a clean shot, Olanrewaju became dizzy, his eyes rolling back immediately after the strike. He then collapsed, falling onto the canvas.
Medics rushed into the ring as the referee struggled to remove his gum shield. The boxer was later transported to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In a viral video circulating on social media and reviewed by GhanaWeb Sports, Olanrewaju was seen delivering quick punches to his opponent, who responded in kind.
Shortly after, the Nigerian boxer momentarily lost his balance before collapsing onto the canvas.
The Ghana Boxing Authority has yet to comment or release an official statement regarding Olanrewaju’s collapse, nor has it provided details about his condition before the incident.
Before the unfortunate event on Saturday, March 29, 2025, Olanrewaju had previously fought Idowu Raheed at the Campos Mini Stadium in Lagos on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024.
Watch the full fight below:
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