The boxing world is in mourning following the tragic passing of former National and West African light-heavyweight champion, Segun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju, who died after collapsing during a fight in Ghana on Saturday.
The 40-year-old Nigerian boxer was competing against Ghanaian boxer Jon Mbanugu at Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League at Bukom Boxing Arena when he suddenly lost consciousness.
He was the former National and West African light-heavyweight champion, and was facing Accra-born John Mbanugu, nicknamed “Power” in an undercard bout of Ghana’s Professional Boxing League.
Reports indicate that he was ahead on points before the unfortunate incident occurred.
A widely circulated video on social media captures the moment he collapsed in the ring, further shocking fans and the boxing community.
Olanrewaju, a highly respected figure in Nigerian boxing, held both National and West African light-heavyweight titles during his career.
He had suddenly fallen to the canvas mid-fight, prompting the referee to immediately call for medical assistance.
Medical professionals rushed to the scene but in spite of attempts to revive him, the boxer was pronounced dead, with reports suggesting he may have suffered cardiac arrest.
A video of the fight shared on social media showed both boxers fiercely trading punches before Olanrewaju stumbled and collapsed.
However, this occurred with only 15 seconds left in the third and last round of their scheduled eight-round bout.
Olanrewaju, born in Lagos, had an extensive boxing career, competing in 23 professional fights, securing 13 wins, with 12 coming by knockout.
He suffered eight defeats and recorded two draws in his career.
However, he had been struggling in recent years, suffering four consecutive losses before his tragic death.
His most recent fight was on Dec. 24, 2024, when he suffered a defeat at the hands of Idowu Rasheed at the Campos Mini Stadium in Lagos.
