Former Nigerian boxer, Jeremiah ‘Jerry’ Okorodudu is dead.
Aged 64, Okorodudu died at a private hospital in Lawanson, Lagos on Wednesday after battling with foot ulcer that left him bedridden for weeks.
His wife, Adenike, confirmed the news of his death to journalists.
However, Adenike said the hospital was not willing to release her husband’s corpse until the outstanding N600,000 medical bill is paid.
“He is dead now but we still need to pay N600,000 to get his body out of the hospital,” Adenike said.
Last week that the Olympian was feeling better following several transfers from different hospitals, mainly due to lack of funds, before he was brought to the Lawanson hospital.
The Secretary-General, Nigeria Boxing Board of Control and the President, West Africa Boxing Union, Remi Aboderin, also confirmed that the Olympian had passed away.
“It is true about his death. I just confirmed it after reaching out to some colleagues,” Aboderin said.
“It is unfortunate that he died this way, and I am actually lost for words. May his soul rest in peace,” he said.
Okorodudu represented Nigeria at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games, where he competed in the middleweight category.
He was a gold medallist at the Oluyole 1979 National Sports Festival in Ibadan.
His medical predicament began in 2020 with a boil affliction that affected his mobility.
The deceased then had a successful surgery at Dans Hospital, Ikorodu, Lagos.
But his health condition relapsed after he was diagnosed with foot ulcer and suffered a stroke.
