Ernest Akushey (Image Source: esohnasports/Instagram) Ghana’s boxing authorities have called an immediate stop to all fights in the country after the death of super-middleweight Ernest Akushey, who passed away at 32 just days after his last bout in Accra.Akushey, known by fans as Bahubali, fought Jacob Dickson at the Bukom Boxing Arena on 12 September. He never fully recovered from the punishment he took that night and died on Tuesday. Doctors are still working to determine the exact cause, but early signs point to internal injuries from the fight.
National Sports Authority announces suspension
The National Sports Authority (NSA) announced the suspension late Tuesday, calling it a necessary move to protect lives, uphold the integrity of the sport, and ensure its future. All upcoming boxing cards have been frozen while investigations continue.This is the second fighter Ghana has lost in half a year. Back in March, Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwasegun Olanrewaju collapsed in the ring during a contest against Ghana’s Jon Mbanugu, also in Accra. He died within hours of being admitted to the hospital. The local boxing community has been worried by the two consecutive tragedies in such a short time. It has raised urgent questions about whether enough is being done to protect fighters.Also Read: Former Nigerian boxing champion Gabriel Olanrewaju dies after collapsing during a fight
New plans are under discussion after repeated tragedy
Authorities say a new five-year plan will be put in place, aimed at tightening medical checks, enforcing global safety standards, and making boxing safer in Ghana. Details of the reforms are expected soon.Boxing is woven into Ghana’s sporting culture, especially in Bukom, where the sport has produced names like Azumah Nelson, a former world champion and one of the country’s most loved athletes. For decades, the district has turned out fighters who carried Ghana’s flag on the world stage. But these back-to-back deaths have cast a shadow over the sport’s future at home.For now, the gyms and arenas will be in a morose state as fans, fighters, and officials absorb the loss of Akushey. Tributes continue to come in for the man nicknamed Bahubali, remembered as a fierce competitor whose career was cut short far too soon. The suspension may be temporary, but it feels like a moment of reckoning for Ghanaian boxing.