David Ochayi
(Ijeoma Otabor, popularly known as Phyna. Photo credit: Phyna/Instagram)
Reality TV star and now boxing champ Phyna has commemorated the fourth anniversary of her Big Brother Naija triumph, fresh off her historic victory in Nigeria’s inaugural female celebrity boxing match.
Phyna, born Ijeoma Otabor, clinched the seventh season of Big Brother Naija titled “Level Up” on October 2, 2022.
Following her recent boxing win against Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing via knockout, Phyna took to social media to celebrate this double milestone.
The electrifying match occurred at Balmoral Promotions’ “Chaos in the Ring” event held at Lagos’ prestigious Federal Palace Hotel on Thursday night.
Phyna emotionally reflected on October 2 being etched in her personal history – first as her BBNaija victory day and now as her groundbreaking boxing achievement.
She revealed her transition from reality star to boxer stemmed from an inner drive to push boundaries and showcase her multifaceted personality beyond public perception.
The Edo-born star dedicated her win to women constantly underestimated, expressing gratitude to event organizers Balmoral Promotions and sponsors Bet9ja for facilitating her historic moment.
With a ₦50 million purse for her debut bout victory, Phyna hinted at turning professional, potentially embarking on a serious boxing career.
During her victory speech, Phyna called out actress Etinosa Idemudia as her next potential opponent, citing persistent online harassment via DMs.
Etinosa, present at ringside, promptly accepted the challenge while defending her mentorship role in advising Phyna to properly represent their shared Edo heritage.
The action-packed evening also featured skit maker Carter Efe’s technical knockout win over musician Speed Darlington, alongside Ghana’s Seth Gyimah claiming the WBO African Light Heavyweight Continental Championship against Nigerian contender Godday Appah.
