BBNaija Winner Phyna Marks Reality TV Victory Anniversary Following Historic Knockout Win in Nigeria’s First Female Celebrity Boxing Match
LAGOS — Big Brother Naija Level Up winner Ijeoma Josephina Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, has commemorated the anniversary of her reality TV victory after making history as the winner of Nigeria’s inaugural female celebrity boxing exhibition match.
Phyna scored a dramatic fourth-round knockout victory against actress Nkechi Blessing during the Independence Edition of the “Chaos in the Ring” event, organized by Balmoral Promotions and Bet9ja at the Federal Palace Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
The contest, which attracted widespread social media attention and drew prominent entertainment figures, saw Phyna rely on tactical speed and defensive movement before landing a decisive right-hand blow in the final round that sent Blessing to the canvas, earning Phyna a $\text{N}50\text{ million}$ cash prize, a new car, and a championship belt.
Taking to her social media platforms on Friday, October 2, 2026, to mark both her ring triumph and the anniversary of her 2022 BBNaija crown, the reality star dedicated her victory to women breaking barriers across diverse professional fields, declaring that October 2 remains an indelible date of personal courage and breakthrough.
Following her historic victory, Phyna disclosed plans to explore professional combat sports development while issuing a public call-out to actress Etinosa Idemudia for a prospective follow-up bout, which the latter accepted online, signaling growing commercial momentum for celebrity boxing entertainment in Nigeria.
