Neurosurgeons warn untrained celebrity boxers face severe health risks, call for stricter regulation

As Nigerian celebrities increasingly participate in boxing matches for financial rewards, neurosurgeons have issued warnings about the significant health risks involved. They highlight that repeated blows to the head and other vulnerable body parts can lead to short- and long-term life-altering injuries, especially since many contestants lack proper training and protective gear. Specialists emphasize that while professional boxing is regulated, untrained celebrities are at higher risk of conditions such as concussion, brain bleeding, dementia, paralysis, blindness, and even death. Long-term consequences can include Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy CTE, a degenerative brain disease. Dr. Abass Ajayi, a Neurosurgeon and Senior Clinical Fellow at King’s College Hospital NHS Trust, London, noted the lack of appropriate protective gear in Nigerian celebrity boxing matches. He detailed potential injuries ranging from facial cuts and fractured ribs to severe brain and spinal injuries, and the possibility of depression and psychiatric disorders from repeated head trauma. Dr. Ifeoluwa Oyewale, a Senior Registrar in Neurosurgery, explained that punches to the head can cause the brain to strike the skull, leading to bruising, bleeding, and potentially fatal outcomes. Both experts called for stricter regulation of these events, stressing that the health risks far outweigh any prize money or popularity gained, and that no competition should expose participants to avoidable life-threatening