LAGOS – A Nigerian boxer, Segun, passed away following an unsanctioned bout in Ghana, prompting concerns over fighter safety and oversight, according to Remi Aboderin, Secretary General of the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBBC).
Segun had initially received approval from the NBBC to compete in a sanctioned fight in Ghana scheduled for a Friday. However, complications arose during the weigh-in on Thursday when Segun was deemed overweight for his opponent. The Ghanaian promoters offered an additional $500 to his purse to proceed with the match, an amount Segun rejected as insufficient, leading to the cancellation of the bout.
On Saturday morning, as Segun and his coach, Diran Alamu, were returning to Lagos and had reached the Aflao border after leaving Accra, the boxer expressed distress over his financial situation. “He left Nigeria with no money and had debts to pay,” Aboderin recounted. Desperate to avoid returning empty-handed, Segun contacted the Ghanaian matchmaker to inquire about other opportunities, agreeing to accept the previously offered $500 for a new fight that night.
Despite not receiving approval from the NBBC for this last-minute arrangement, Segun returned to Ghana to compete. Aboderin criticized the Ghana Boxing Association (GBA) for allowing the fight to proceed without proper authorization, calling it a significant oversight.
Tragically, Segun did not survive the Saturday night bout. Details surrounding his death remain unclear, but his passing has cast a somber shadow over the sport. “May his soul rest in peace,” Aboderin said, echoing the sentiments of the boxing community.
The incident has raised questions about the regulation of cross-border fights and the pressures athletes face to secure earnings, often at great personal risk. Investigations by both the NBBC and GBA are expected to follow.