Ghana Denies Involvement in Olanrewaju's Deal to Lose

Ghana A spokesperson for the Boxing Authority, Amin Lamptey, has refuted claims about possessing information regarding Nigerian boxer Segun 'Success' Olanrewaju allegedly losing his match against Ghanaian fighter Jon Mbanugu on Saturday night.

This conflicts with statements from Olanrewaju’s widow, Adebusola, who disclosed that her husband told her he was coerced into losing the match prior to his untimely demise.

"When he mentioned traveling to Ghana, he informed us about it. Upon arrival, he shared that he reached his destination, yet they advised him that he might have to lose against his competitor. He stated that this was unacceptable as he aimed to advance his professional standing. Having previously visited Russia where he gave it his all despite not winning, everyone observed that he put forth maximum effort," she explained.

The Nigeria Boxing Board of Control supported Adebusola’s statements, as confirmed by Secretary-General Remi Aboderin, stating PUNCH Sports Extra ," "On Thursday, they conducted the weighing ceremony, and upon discovering that he was over the required weight, they informed him that the fighter he was scheduled to face wasn't at his weight class. Additionally, they advised him that he would likely lose to the boxer, something they hadn't mentioned prior to his departure from Nigeria."

They offered to add $500 more to his earnings, but he felt this amount was insufficient, leading to no deal being reached.

Adebusola also revealed that her husband first intended to come back home after he declined to throw the match. However, he eventually decided to take part following an agreement reached between the involved parties.

"He traveled to Ghana. He informed us that people had warned him he might fail. However, he mentioned that he went there for his professional growth; he couldn't afford to let those people win. By then, he was preparing to return home when they contacted him again about resolving the matter. I reached out to him myself later on Saturday around 11 PM. That night, I stayed awake past midnight anticipating a message from him, yet none arrived. Instead, I ended up calling him and learning of his death," she recounted.

Upon reaching out to the GBA for their take on these allegations, the spokesperson stated that the organization had no knowledge of such agreements.

“No, communication has not gotten to us on that. We have no idea about that,” Lamptey told PUNCH Sports Extra .

Olanrewaju, the 40-year-old former national and West African light-heavyweight champion collapsed during his bout against Mbanugu at Fight Night 15 of the Ghana Professional Boxing League at Bukom Boxing Arena, Accra on Saturday. He was rushed to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The deceased had an extensive boxing career since making his debut in 2019, competing in 24 professional fights, securing 13 wins, with 12 coming by knockout. He suffered nine losses and recorded two draws in his career.

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