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Nigerian actress Nkechi Blessing and BBNaija winner Ijeoma Josephina Otabor, known as Phyna, are set to go head-to-head in the first female celebrity fight of Chaos in the Ring on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at The Balmoral, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.
The four-round bout, which includes a rematch clause, is expected to attract a new audience to boxing, with the rivalry between the two entertainers adding further excitement to the event.
The feud between Phyna and Nkechi began after Nkechi publicly challenged Phyna on Instagram over a movie role and online conflicts.
At Tuesday’s face-off heralding the bout, Blessing and Phyna clashed in a fierce war of words, each vowing to completely dismantle the other in the ring.
Nkechi claimed Phyna disrespected someone close to her and promised to beat her up for being rude.
“I am 100 per cent prepared for the fight. I will beat her with my first blow and she won’t stand a chance after that,” Blessing said.
Phyna fired back, mocking Blessing’s age and promising a devastating second-round finish.
“She is an old woman, and I will continue to disgrace her. I will beat her in round 2,” Phyna responded.
Phyna also said she wants to pursue a career in boxing after the fight.
The event also featured a tense face-off between content creator Oderhohwo Joseph Efe, known as Carter Efe, and rapper Darlington Okoye, known as Speed Darlington.
Chaos in the Ring founder and Balmoral Group Promotions, Dr Ezekiel Adamu, stated: “This is our 5th event in the past year, themed the Independence Edition. It’s a real boxing match; expect a war in the ring.”
Meanwhile, Warri-born boxer Godday Appah has vowed to destroy Ghanaian fighter Seth “Freezy Macbones” Gyimah as he aims to defend his WBO African Light Heavyweight Continental Championship on Independence Day.
During the Face Off event on Tuesday, a confident Seth “Freezy” declared: “It’s going to be ‘Freezy Time’ on the night. I will beat him (Appah) and punch him hard in the face. I am the face of African Boxing, and Appah must respect that.”
Appah, maintaining his composure, pledged to uphold Nigerian pride.
“I’m not chasing clout; I’m fighting for our country. Freezy is my friend, but I will beat him and make Nigeria proud. The pressure isn’t on me; it’s on him.”
Other bouts on the professional card include Basit “Jokerboy” Adebayo against Fatiu Jomoni, Eworitse “Ezra” Arenyeka against Lekan “The Engine” Muibi, Yusuf “Swaggu” Adeniji against Tagoe, and Israel Makinde against Abiodun Muyideen.
SuperSport and DAZN will broadcast the event across Africa and worldwide, aiming to create a platform that blends sport, entertainment, and African culture. (The Nation)
