•Carter Efe and Speed Darlington during their celebrity boxing bout
Carter Efe and Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner Phyna emerged victorious in the headline celebrity boxing bouts tagged “Chaos in the Ring” Independence Edition, which took place in Lagos.
Efe, an online streamer, retained his celebrity boxing title after the referee stopped his four-round contest against rapper Speed Darlington, while Phyna knocked out Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing in the final round of their scheduled bout.
The two celebrity contests were held yesterday at Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary, reports Channels TV.
He controlled the contest against his rival before the referee intervened after his opponent stopped moving, handing the skit maker a technical knockout victory.
The result extended the streamer’s unbeaten record in the “Chaos in the Ring” series, having previously defeated singer Habeeb “Portable” Badmus by unanimous decision in May.
Following that victory, all three judges scored the three-round contest 30-27 in Efe’s favour, with a ₦50 million reward.
‘International Opponents’
The Delta-born Efe dominated the fight, landing several punches on his opponent before the referee stopped the contest when Speed stopped responding.
The decision handed Efe the victory and extended his unbeaten run in the “Chaos in the Ring” celebrity boxing series, where he continues to hold the championship title.
Speaking after yesterday’s fight, Efe said he was motivated by his partner, Taylor Jasmine.
“My woman, Taylor Jasmine. She’s the one that gave me the strength to win because I didn’t even train for this fight. Man, it wasn’t easy. With that stomach that looked like pregnancy, you see, I have strength,” the 25-year-old said.
The entertainer said he now wants to face opponents outside Nigeria, naming American boxer and YouTuber DDG and former world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“I want an international opponent. I am tired of Akpi Speed Darlington and Portable. I want to fight with DDG. They are boxers. I want to fight with Mayweather,” he said.
Efe, 42, however, said his next fight would come after his marriage to Taylor Jasmine, who he said lives in Georgia, United States.
“When I get married to Taylor Jasmine, that’s when I’ll fight my next fight,” the internet personality, whose real name is Darlington Okoye, said.
He also expressed interest in seeing entertainers Shank Comics and Kiekie face each other in a celebrity boxing contest.
Phyna Defeats Nkechi Blessing
Meanwhile, Phyna delivered the other major celebrity boxing result of the night, stopping Blessing in the fourth round of their scheduled four-round contest.
Phyna, whose real name is Ijeoma Otabor, relied on her movement and speed during the early stages as Blessing pressed forward in search of close-range exchanges.
The actress continued to apply pressure as the bout progressed, but Phyna maintained her movement before landing the punch that sent her opponent to the canvas in the final round.
Blessing failed to beat the referee’s count, bringing the contest to an end.
Phyna’s reward was ₦50 million, a championship belt and a new car for the victory. The fight was the first female celebrity boxing contest staged under Balmoral Promotions’ “Chaos in the Ring” series.
Another Challenge For Phyna
After the victory, Phyna called out actress Etinosa Idemudia, who was present at the venue.
Phyna claimed Etinosa had been sending her messages before challenging her to another celebrity boxing contest.
Etinosa accepted the challenge, potentially setting the stage for another bout under the promotion.
Phyna also indicated that she wants to explore boxing beyond the celebrity contest.
From Online Dispute To Boxing Ring
The contest followed weeks of public exchanges between the two women.
Their disagreement became public on September 17 after the 37-year-old criticised Phyna in an Instagram video over her conduct and alleged involvement in online disputes.
Phyna responded by sharing screenshots of their conversations and accusing the actress of targeting her despite their limited interaction.
The dispute later evolved into a boxing rivalry after Balmoral Promotions announced the bout.
The pair continued to exchange threats and taunts during promotional appearances, including confrontations at Pretty Mike’s All White Party and The Morayo Show.
Their September 29 press conference and face-off in Victoria Island also ended in a physical confrontation before security personnel intervened.
Phyna had predicted a second-round knockout before the fight but ultimately needed until the fourth round to secure the stoppage.
For Efe, his bout with Darlington was also the culmination of a rivalry that had played out publicly in the build-up to the event.
Speed Darlington challenged him after his defeat to Portable, leading to a series of exchanges between the two entertainers during promotional activities.
Their confrontation continued at press appearances, while Speed Darlington later kicked Carter’s birthday cake to the ground at one event.
At another appearance, firecrackers set off by Efe’s entourage sparked a brief fire that was quickly extinguished. Carter ultimately settled the rivalry in the ring with a stoppage victory.
The night also featured a professional championship bout, with Ghanaian boxer Seth “Freezy Macbones” Gyimah defeating Nigerian Godday “Zodsolo” Appah by unanimous decision.
Gyimah claimed the WBO African Light Heavyweight Continental Championship after the professional contest.
