By Jacob Ajom

The Secretary General of the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control, Remi Aboderin is bitter with the Ghana Boxing Authority. He has so many reasons to be. Aboderin has accused the GBA of having caused and abetted the death of one of Nigeria’s finest boxers in the ring, while fighting. “The GBA flouted all known rules and regulations guiding the sport before the fight,” he said in this chat with Jacob Ajom. Read on:

When last did Segun fight in Nigeria?

He fought last December 28 against Rasheed Idowu, the Universal Boxing Organisation Light heavyweight champion and it was a very exciting bout as the two of them went toe-to-toe with each other. Rasheed Idowu won the fight via unanimous points decision but it was an exciting fight.

Elsewhere, boxers undergo annual medical check up: The British boxing authorities ensure boxers undergo comprehensive medical check ups

He cuts in- No, it’s not the boxing authorities that organise check up for the boxers.

Every boxer has his manager. Each manager carries out all that needs to be done before a boxer goes out to fight and make money. I can say to you that it is not the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control that organises medical check up for boxers. Professional boxers who go out to make money and fend for their families. They are not like amateur boxers who go out to represent Nigeria at the Olympics. These boxers go out to fight to feed their families.

The NBBof C is shattered over what has happened to Segun. We are not happy. It is a very tragic event that we don’t pray should happen. We are not happy. Boxing as you know is not a sport for the faint-hearted. When he got to Ghana, he should have gone there with his medical certificate. When he was called to go to Ghana, he should have had his medicals and other relevant papers ready

We gathered the NBB of C did not okay him for the fight he eventually lost his life

If all the rules and regulations guiding the sport had been adhered to, there is nothing we could have done to the Ghana Boxing Authority(GBA). There is no way we would have held the GBA culpable if they followed international practices. The only reason why we are saying that what happened to Segun cannot be allowed to go without repercussion is because the GBA did not follow the rules and regulations of pro-boxing to the letter.

He did a weigh-in, which we gathered he weighed 85kg for somebody that should not weigh more than 80kg. He was approved to go and fight in the light heavyweight category. If it was a title fight, he should weigh 79 but in a non-title fight he should weigh 80. When you get to 81 kg, one is already in the cruiserweight category. We in the NBBof C did not approve for him to go and fight in the cruiserweight category.

Even if his opponent made heavyweight, Segun did not make light heavyweight. The GBA were aware of that. They should have told him to go and shed weight so he could make his weight, which I know would have been impossible to achieve because you cannot shed five or even three kgs in three hours.

Secondly, Segun should have been properly tested medically by the GBA medical team. That was not done. If that was done, maybe they would have found out that he could not fight and prevent him from taking up the fight.

Thirdly, we were made to understand that before the fight at Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra on Friday night, the day we approved that he should go and fight, the coach of his opponent came to Segun and said, “the reason why we asked you not to shed weight yesterday was because we called you here to come and lose to our boxer. Segun told him that he was not ready to lose to anybody because he was not in Ghana to lose.” They had to take Segun back to his hotel room at about 8 pm for the onward journey back to Nigeria.

I know all this because it was not only Segun that we approved to fight on that bill in Ghana. We also approved Taoheed Folajo to fight. That means he too did not do his medicals but maybe he made his correct weight, but he fought that Friday night. From the hotel, the management of the opponent took Segun to the bus station as they wanted to send him back to Nigeria because he was not ready to lose. When they got to the bus station in the morning.Segun now told one of the boys that took him there that ‘look, this is not fair. Why will I travel all the way from Nigeria to Ghana and go home without money.’

The guy now replied, ‘look, you did not fight. But this is the number of the manager, you can speak with him when you get to Nigeria.

They left the bus station but because of traffic they had not reached Aflao after about four hours in traffic. Segun then sent a voice message to the manager, complaining that he had been treated unfairly that he was heading home without a dime. The manager was unsympathetic. “Why should I give you money when you refuse to fight, but if you are ready to fight, there is a fight here on the 29th, come back and fight, I will give you your money.”

That was when Segun now decided to turn back, with his coach. They alighted from the bus that was taking them to Nigeria and turned back to Accra. When he got to the place, they did not deem it fit to make him undergo any medical check up, they just threw him into the ring.

We at the NBBof C are saying we did not give him approval to fight on the 29th. What we are not happy with GBA is that even if they wanted him to fight on the 29th, they should have called us and informed us that he was now fighting a day after our approved date because he could not fight the previous night. If they asked for our consent, of course, we would not have turned them down. That would have taken a lot of responsibility off their shoulders. But they did not call.

The only reason we are asking for compensation is because all the laid down rules and regulations were not followed. Boxing is a sport but not for the faint hearted. Being a boxer is like being a soldier.

Boxers get into the ring with the belief that they would triumph or the opposite may happen. But in the mind of a soldier boxer at worst the opponent should not beat him. Segun went to fight, he signed a contract to fight. We never prayed this could happen; a big tragic event. But it has happened. But if the GBA had followed the rules and regulations, we won’t hold them culpable. That is why we are asking for compensation.

Are you asking for compensation for the family of the fallen boxer?

The amount of money he signed for the fight must be paid. He has fought. Apart from that, the family of the deceased should be compensated. Ghana Boxing Authority ought to be punished for not following the rules guiding the sport. But if the rules were followed and this unfortunate incident happened, we won’t have any reason to hold them.