The Last Conversation Wife of Olanrewaju Had With the Fallen Boxer Before the Tragedy Drops

• The widow of late Gabriel Olanrewaju has shared the last phone call she had with the fallen boxer
• Still reeling from the heartbreaking loss, she said that they spoke just hours before the ill-fated bout
• Maria Adebusola Olanrewaju and Gabriel were married for two years and they also had two kids

The boxing fraternity, stretching from Lagos to Accra and echoing far beyond West Africa, is reeling from the devastating loss of Gabriel Olanrewaju - a veteran fighter whose life was cut short during a professional bout in Ghana.

The former Nigerian national champion and West African light heavyweight champ stepped into the ring at the Bukom Boxing Arena on March 29 full of ambition - but tragically exited the arena with his life hanging in the balance.

Gabriel Olanrewaju's tragic death in Ghana

Squaring off against Ghana’s Jonathan Mbanugu in an eight-round contest, the 40-year-old collapsed in the third round.

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Despite swift intervention by ringside paramedics and emergency transport to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, he was pronounced dead half an hour later, as noted by the BBC.

In the wake of the tragedy, tributes have poured in from across the African boxing community and beyond.

The Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBBC) and the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) have since launched a joint effort to uncover the circumstances leading to his death.

GBA under scrutiny after Olanrewaju's death

With combat sports inherently carrying risk, the situation has prompted renewed scrutiny of the enforcement of medical protocols ahead of bouts.

Though Olanrewaju had reportedly been cleared to fight by (NBBC) on March 28, questions linger regarding whether the hosting body, the GBA, carried out a comprehensive medical reassessment before the fight proceeded a day later.

Observers and critics alike wondered if more stringent due diligence might have prevented the heartbreaking outcome.

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What really happened? Ghana Boxing insider breaks silence on Olanrewaju’s death

Wife of Olanrewaju shares heartbreaking last chat with fallen boxer

The late boxer’s wife, Adebusola Olanrewaju, has opened up about her final moments with her husband - painting a sombre picture of a fighter who remained committed to integrity and ambition even in his final hours.

“When he was going to Ghana, he told us. When he arrived, he said he had gotten there, but they said he would have to lose to his opponent,” she told the Punch, her voice heavy with emotion.

“He said he could not do that because he was there to boost his career. He had been to Russia before, and he tried his best. Although he did not win, everybody saw that he tried his best.”

Fighting back tears, she added:

“Now he went to Ghana. He told us that they said he would have to lose. But he said he came there for his career, that he can’t lose to them.

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‘I will stop fighting’: Boxer left miserable after tragic passing of Gabriel Olanrewaju

"He was already coming back home, he told us everything, until they called him back, and he said they’d settled it.

"I called him; I spoke to him Saturday after 11 pm. I woke up at midnight, expecting I would see his message, but I did not see it.”

While an autopsy is yet to be made public, the melancholy process of repatriating Olanrewaju’s body back to Nigeria is underway.

Olanrewaju's last opponent contemplates retirement

Previously, YEN.com.gh shed light on the emotional turmoil facing Jonathan Mbanugu, the late Olanrewaju's final opponent.

The 22-year-old, according to his manager, was grappling with deep emotional distress and was contemplating his retirement.

Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh