Like a light extinguished before it had fully shone, Segun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju’s untimely death in the ring left unanswered questions and shattered hearts. The late Nigerian boxer’s tragic passing in Ghana on March 29 during a match has left his loved ones grappling with grief.
On March 26, Olanrewaju, 40, said his goodbyes as he set off for Ghana, hoping to make money to launch a commercial bus business. Tragically, this was to be his final farewell. The former national and West African light-heavyweight champion collapsed during his fight against Ghana’s Jon Mbanugu at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra, leading to his death.
Olanrewaju was ahead on points during the third round when he fell after a right punch from Mbanugu. He staggered, collapsed, and moments later was being rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead. An autopsy was conducted on April 1 before plans were made to repatriate his body back to Nigeria.
Earlier, Remi Aboderin of the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control confirmed that the boxer had been approved for a fight on Friday but was disqualified for being overweight. Desperate to make money, Olanrewaju opted to fight on Saturday, despite not having the necessary clearance.
However, the boxer’s family, speaking from their home in Ota, Ogun State, vehemently denied claims of financial distress or debt, painting a picture of a man who was planning to start a transportation business. His wife, Adebusola Olanrewaju, explained how her husband had bought a bus to begin his business and had no financial issues.
“I was with him for almost five years, and we were building a life together,” she tearfully recounted. “He was a good, humble man who had dreams. People post about him now, but where were they when he was alive?”
She shared how he had confided in her before leaving for Ghana, telling her that he was there to build his career, not to lose. “He wanted to come back with a win,” she recalled. “But I never got his message the night before he died.”
The boxer’s mother, Mrs. Olanrewaju, recalled raising her children alone after her husband’s death in 1993 and described her son as the family’s cornerstone. She firmly rejected the claim that her son had debts, emphasizing that the family would have supported him if needed.
The boxer’s sister, Rachael, reflected on how Olanrewaju had been the family’s only male figure since their father’s passing. “He was the only man we had left,” she said. “Losing him is a shock we cannot bear.”
Others close to him, including his mentor Taiwo Azeez and friend Kayode Fakeye, echoed the family’s denial of debt claims. Fakeye pointed to a bus parked outside the house, noting that the boxer had just purchased it as part of his business plans.
As the family mourns, they seek justice and the truth behind his tragic passing. Their grief is compounded by the knowledge that the boxer’s plans for the future were abruptly cut short, leaving them with painful memories instead of the life they had hoped to build together.
Olanrewaju’s boxing career spanned 24 matches, with 13 wins (12 by knockout) and 9 losses. His family, however, remembers him not just for his boxing accolades but for the love he gave them and the future he was building before tragedy struck.
