For four rounds, the rivalry between Nkechi Blessing Sunday and Phyna was no longer confined to social media, interviews or heated exchanges.
It had a ring.
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It had gloves.
And eventually, it had a winner.
When the dust settled at Balmoral Promotions’ Chaos in the Ring event in Lagos, it was Phyna who had her hand raised after delivering a fourth-round knockout that brought their much-talked-about celebrity boxing bout to an abrupt end.
Nkechi Blessing, however, does not appear ready to let the result tell the entire story.
Barely after the defeat, the Nollywood actress took to Instagram with a defiant message, declaring that she remained a champion regardless of what the official result said.
“Still a CHAMPION regardless of the result… even the blind knows who the winner is,” she wrote.
She also appeared to take a playful swipe at those who watched the fight, suggesting that anyone who genuinely followed the contest would understand why she felt differently about the outcome.
From social media drama to the boxing ring
The fight was never simply about two entertainers stepping into a boxing ring.
Long before the opening bell, Phyna and Nkechi Blessing had already built a rivalry that had played out publicly.
Their exchanges became increasingly heated, eventually moving from online arguments to confrontations during the build-up to the event.
That tension helped turn their October 1 meeting at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, into one of the most anticipated celebrity bouts on the card.
And when the two women finally entered the ring, the talking was replaced by punches.
The scheduled four-round contest saw both fighters exchange blows before Phyna found the decisive opening in the final round.
She knocked Nkechi to the canvas, and the actress was unable to beat the referee’s count.
The fight was over.
Phyna had won by knockout.
The victory also made her the first winner of a female celebrity boxing bout under the Balmoral Promotions series.
While Phyna celebrated her victory, Nkechi’s reaction suggested that she was already looking beyond the loss.
In her Instagram post, the actress pointed to her preparation for the contest, revealing that she had trained for only two days.
She thanked her coach and appeared to treat the entire experience with a mixture of defiance and humour.
“Only Two days training ooooo,” she wrote, before adding that it was time for her to return to what she knows best.
“Now let’s go back to making movies cus I no be boxer.”
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The message carried the unmistakable tone of someone refusing to allow a knockout to define her.
For Nkechi, the fight may have ended with her on the canvas, but the conversation surrounding it was clearly not over.
Phyna gets the prizes — Nkechi gets the last word
Phyna’s victory came with more than bragging rights.
Following the fight, she was presented with a new car and a ceremonial ₦50 million cheque.
The former Big Brother Naija winner also indicated that she was interested in taking boxing more seriously, even calling out actress Etinosa Idemudia as a potential next opponent. Etinosa, who watched the fight from ringside, accepted the challenge.
But while Phyna was celebrating what could become the beginning of another chapter in her boxing journey, Nkechi was busy writing her own version of the night.
