Phyna beats Nkechi Blessing in celebrity boxing match

Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner, Phyna, has beaten Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing in a four-round boxing match in Lagos.

Phyna, whose real name is Ijeoma Otabor, knocked out Nkechi Blessing in the fourth round of the bout held on Thursday at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

This fight was the first female celebrity boxing match organized under Balmoral Promotions’ ‘Chaos in the Ring’ series.

Build up of the fight at press conference

Defeating Nkechi

Phyna took home ₦50 million in prize money, a championship belt, and a new car after the victory. The bout was one of the major attractions at the Independence Edition of ‘Chaos in the Ring’, which was supported by Bet9ja and streamed on DAZN and SuperSport.

In the early rounds, Phyna used her speed and movement, while Nkechi Blessing moved forward, trying to engage her at close range. Nkechi kept pushing as the fight continued, but Phyna stayed mobile and landed the winning punch in the fourth round.

Nkechi Blessing fell to the ground and could not beat the referee’s count, ending the match. After the fight, Phyna said her plan was to save energy and let her opponent tire out before finishing the contest in the last round.

This victory came after weeks of back-and-forth between the two women due to a disagreement over a possible collaboration.

BBN Star Phyna and Actress Nkechi Blessing during their celebrity boxing bout

Genesis

The trouble started when Phyna and Nkechi Blessing exchanged messages about potential work opportunities. The disagreement became public on 17 September when Nkechi Blessing posted a video on Instagram, criticizing Phyna for engaging in online fights and questioning her behavior.

Phyna replied by sharing screenshots of their earlier chats and accused the actress of targeting her despite their few interactions. The situation escalated the next day when Balmoral Promotions announced the boxing match.

Both women exchanged threats and insults before the fight, with their rivalry spilling into public appearances. They confronted each other at Pretty Mike’s All White Party and clashed again on The Morayo Show.

Things got heated at their 29 September press conference in Victoria Island, where they exchanged words and had a physical fight before security stepped in.

Before the match, Phyna predicted she would knock out Nkechi Blessing in the second round. But the fight went the full four rounds before Phyna won in the last round.

Next battle

After her victory, Phyna called out another Nollywood actress, Etinosa Idemudia, claiming the actress had been messaging her. Etinosa, who was at the venue, accepted the challenge, hinting at another celebrity boxing match. Phyna also showed interest in continuing boxing beyond celebrity fights.

On the same card, Carter Efe defeated Speed Darlington, while Ghanaian boxer Seth ‘Freezy Macbones’ Gyimah beat Godday ‘Zodsolo’ Appah in the main event.