Tragedy struck at the Bukom Boxing Arena on Saturday night during the Bel 7Star Ghana Professional Boxing League as Nigerian boxer Gabriel Aluwasegun Olanrewagu collapsed in the boxing ring after a crucial bout with his 22-year-old Ghanaian opponent Johnathan Mbanugu.
He was rushed to the hospital but died while being attended to by doctors.
The light heavyweight boxer died at the Korle Bu Teaching hospital in the early hours of today, Sunday, March 30.
The bout was an international 8-rounder featured on the bi-monthly boxing league by the Osibor Boxing Promotions.
The fight was in the third round when the tragedy occurred.
The two boxers were in jab exchanges when all of a sudden, Gabriel took a step back, lost his balance, and fell heavily in the ring.
Referee Richard Amevi, having been led in the mandatory count by the bellman, abandoned counting when he realised the boxer was off and swiftly invited the ring doctor and members of the emergency medical team.
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Moment Nigeria boxer Gabriel Aluwasegun Olanrewagu collapsed and feared dead in his bout against John Mbanugu Saturday night.#OnuaSports pic.twitter.com/2zs377Sxsr
— #OnuaSports (@OnuaSports) March 30, 2025
The Ghanaian boxer, Jonathan ‘Power for Power’ Mbanugu, is managed by Osibor Boxing Promotions, who arranged the fight.
The bout was officially listed on Boxrec for the night after the successful contract between the two parties from Ghana and Nigeria.
Gabriel Aluwasegun Olanrewagu, alias Success, 40, had a professional record of 23 fights, with 13 wins, 8 losses, and 2 draws.
He had his debut on July 30, 2019, and had 99 rounds of boxing with a 92.31 per cent knockout rate.
Gabriel, an orthodox boxer from Lagos, Nigeria, was ranked 448th in the world and 7th in Nigeria out of 43 light heavyweight boxers.
The younger Jonathan Mbanugu, also an orthodox boxer, had 14 professional fights, lost 1, and drew 1 at the age of 22.
Power for Power, from Accra, Ghana, had his debut on December 24, 2023 and has a 100 percent knockout rate.
He is ranked 352 in the world and 12 out of 42 light heavyweights in Ghana.
Sources close to the Ghana Boxing Authority and the Osibor Boxing Promotions say the necessary report was made to the Ghana Police Service, and the Nigeria Boxing Authority was duly notified about the tragic incident.
The remains of the deceased boxer have since been deposited at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, awaiting autopsy.
By Peter Quao Adattor
