Clottey backs new boxing safety regime, urges vigilance
Former IBF welterweight champion, Joshua “The Hitter” Clottey, has thrown his weight behind the sweeping medical and safety reforms introduced by the Ghana Boxing Interim Management Committee (GBIMC), insisting the measures are critical to protecting fighters in a sport he describes as “inherently dangerous”.
Reflecting on the death of Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju at the Bukom Boxing Arena a year ago, Clottey said the tragedy must remain a turning point for Ghanaian boxing, not a moment that fades with time.
“I think things are good now, and that’s how boxing is supposed to be,” Clottey told the Graphic Sports. “Boxing is very dangerous, and anybody can die without the necessary medicals, so I think the IMC has done well in enforcing strict medical measures, and they must continue to improve.
Olanrewaju collapsed in the third round of an international light heavyweight bout against Ghana’s Jonathan Mbanugu, also known as Jon Power, on March 29 last year. He was rushed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. An autopsy later confirmed the cause as sudden cardiac arrest.
Ban and reforms
That tragedy, followed months later by the death of Ernest “Bahubali” Akushey, less than two weeks after a punishing stoppage defeat to Jacob Dickson at the same venue, forced a reckoning within Ghanaian boxing.
In response, the government dissolved the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA), suspended the sport, and installed an Interim Management Committee under the instruction of the Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Iddie Adams, to drive urgent reforms aimed at restoring credibility, structure and athlete safety.
When boxing resumed on November 6, it did so under a far stricter regime built around medical integrity, athlete welfare and accountability.
Key interventions included the publication of comprehensive medical and safety regulations, the establishment of an interim medical commission, a centralised medical database, an approved insurance framework, and the deployment of certified ringside medical personnel supported by a structured medical system.
The GBIMC, initially given a three-month mandate, has since had its tenure extended to complete critical reforms ahead of elections for a substantive GBA administration scheduled between May and June.
Implementation concerns
While the reforms have drawn widespread commendation, concerns remain over whether the systems can be sustained beyond the transition phase.
US-based Ghanaian promoter and Team USA Boxing doctor, Dr Adae Opoku Amoako, acknowledged the strides made but warned that policy without consistent enforcement risks undermining the gains.
“From a medical and regulatory standpoint, Ghana boxing has made meaningful progress since the boxer’s death, demonstrating a more informed mindset, improved strategic approach, and the development of protocols that align more closely with international standards,” Dr Amoako said.
“However, the persistent challenge has not been in policy formulation, but in consistent implementation and execution. This gap is driven by multiple factors, including resource limitations, financial constraints, and systemic inefficiencies that impact the practical delivery of these safety measures.
