Nigerian professional boxer Gabriel Olowasegun Olanrewaju died tragically after he collapsed in the third round of light weight in the third round of lightweight on Saturday, March.
Forty -year -old had control of the fight, but during the third round he showed a slight discomfort and just less than three minutes to the round got off the opponent and suddenly dropped back to the ropes and collapsed in the ring. Video shots shared on social media confirmed that MBanugu did not land direct intervention before the incident.
Nigerian boxer, Gabriel Olanrewaju, handed over during the match against the Ghanski opponent.
He is a former national and West African master with heavy weight. pic.twitter.com/uhpuzyixgi– African facts zone (@africafactszone) March 30, 2025
Medical staff and the doctor quickly offered urgent treatment and tried to revive it before being rushed to the hospital. Yet he was declared dead 30 minutes after arrival.
Investigations are underway
No cause of death was officially released, but Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) described the incident as a “induced coma”. Authorities, as well as the Nigerian Boxeration Audit Council (NBBC), are likely to conduct a detailed investigation to find out the exact circumstances of his death.
GBA confirmed that Oluwasegun was medically eligible to fight NBBC before the incident.
Tragic reports sent shock waves through the boxing world, while officials and athletes expressed their condolences. Ghanaian Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi IDDie Adams, expanded his sympathy with the family of Oluwasegun and the Nigerian boxing community.
“We are deeply interested in the Nigeria Boxing Council for Control, the whole Nigerian boxing fraternity and the global boxing community over this irreplaceable loss.” Gabriel’s premature departure not only relieves an admirable competitor, but also reminds of the unpredictable nature we love passionately in a statement.
The World Boxing Organization also issued a statement requiring stricter testing protocols to ensure the safety of a fighter.
The WBO family is deeply saddened by graduating from the Nigerian boxer Gabriel OLUWASEGUN Olanrewaju.
This heartbreaking incident underlines the urgent need for strict test protocols to ensure the health and safety of our fighters. pic.twitter.com/jrsxflighu– WBO (@worldboxingorg) 31 March 2025
Carer
Oluwasegun had a successful boxing career, boasts a professional record of 13 wins (12 from knockouts), 8 losses and 2 draws. He previously won the Nigerian and West African championship titles and also represented the African Championship.
Officials are after the incident to explore the current security measures in sports. Experts emphasized the need to increase medical controls and safety procedures of ringing to avoid such tragedies in the future.
Published:
Aashish vashistha
Published on:
2 April 2025
