Ghanaian Committee Investigates Olanrewaju’s Death

The Ghanaian Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has established a seven-member committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of Nigerian boxer Oluwasegun Olanrewaju, also known as ‘Success’. Olanrewaju collapsed during a match at the Bukom Boxing Arena on March 29, 2025.

Olanrewaju passed away at the Korle-Bu Hospital after collapsing during a bout at the Trust Sports Emporium Boxing Arena at Bukoum last month.

The passing of the Nigerian boxer has sparked major discussions on the health of athletes with the Bel 7 Star Ghana Boxing League firmly placed in the spotlight.

In the wake of the tragic event, the Sports Minister promised to probe the matter, and setting up the committee of enquiry is the first major step to do so.

The committee, chaired by Major (Retd) Amarkai Amarteifio, includes notable members such as former Ghana Boxing Authority President Peter Zwennes and veteran sports journalists Ekow Ansah and Samuel Bartels.

The committee will investigate the events leading to Olanrewaju’s death at the Bukom Boxing Arena, determine whether the organizers took adequate measures to prevent the tragedy, in line with international standards, and assess whether the Nigerian licensing authorities properly vetted Olanrewaju’s qualifications and experience before allowing him to participate in the match.

The Nigerian Boxing Board of Control has raised serious concerns about the circumstances surrounding Olanrewaju’s death. In a letter, the board highlighted what they described as “negligence on the part of Ghana Boxing Authority.”

The Nigerian Boxing Board of Control has expressed concerns about alleged negligence on the part of the Ghana Boxing Authority.

The board has raised specific issues, including weight discrepancies, with Olanrewaju competing at 85kg, which falls into the cruiserweight category, and the absence of a pre-fight medical examination during the weigh-in. Furthermore, the board noted that the match took place on March 29, rather than the initially approved date of March 28.

An autopsy has confirmed that Olanrewaju’s cause of death was sudden cardiac arrest. He had been pronounced dead at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra after collapsing during his fight against Ghanaian boxer Jon Mbanugu at Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League.

The 40-year-old boxer had an impressive career, with 13 wins, 9 losses, and 2 draws in 24 professional fights. His opponent, Jon Mbanugu, is reportedly considering retirement due to the traumatic nature of the incident.