Entertainment of Saturday, 3 October 2026

Source: www.punchng.com

Phyna reveals tactics behind Nkechi Blessing knockout

Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner, Josephina Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, has explained how she used strategy and wisdom to defeat actress Nkechi Blessing in a celebrity boxing bout in Lagos.

Phyna knocked out Nkechi in the first female celebrity boxing bout at the “Chaos in the Ring” event held in Lagos on Wednesday, October 1, 2026.

Speaking in an interview with comedian Egungun in a video uploaded on Saturday, Phyna said she deliberately avoided engaging Nkechi in a power contest after noticing that the actress was physically bigger.

“Everything is not by gra-gra, everything is not by ‘I too get power pass.’ Sometimes, you need to apply what we call logic,” Phyna said.

She explained that she chose to rely on wisdom rather than anger after observing her opponent’s size.

“She dey on a mightier size than me. So, as a smart girl, I suppose apply wisdom and refuse to be led by anger, but by wisdom,” she said.

Phyna said she trained for only 10 days ahead of the bout, adding that her coach helped her develop her boxing skills within the short period.

She also revealed that she changed her tactics after realising that Nkechi was not adopting a conventional boxing stance when the fight began.

She said the observation made her realise that the actress intended to engage her in a street-fight style rather than a conventional boxing contest.

“When we enter stage to want fight, normally my coach teach me boxing. But as we dey stage, as we want start, I notice say she no hold her hand like who want box.

“Na there I come to understand say, okay, she want run me street fight, because she knows say they no go quick dey foul am,” Phyna said.

Phyna said she subsequently switched to a different strategy after studying Nkechi’s movements, with her coach repeatedly instructing her to keep moving during the bout.

The reality star added that she had promised to use the fight to “run” Nkechi around the ring and “rub” her to the ground.

“I was having fun. It ended too fast. I promised her something. I said, ‘I go use you, I go use you run round, run round, run round, run round… I go use you rub ground,’” she said.

Phyna, however, ruled out a rematch when asked if she would be willing to face Nkechi again.

“Rematch? There’s no need. In life, they say, ‘Children, obey thy parent so your days may be long.’ I don’t disrespect her, so make curse no follow me,” she said.

The BBNaija winner was also asked which other celebrity she would like to fight following the bout.

Phyna mentioned former BBNaija housemate Wathoni Anyansi and actress Etinosa Idemudia, saying they were among those who had been “forcing” her to respect them.

She joked that she could face Etinosa in a one-on-one bout or “use her rub ground.”

The bout between Phyna and Nkechi was one of the headline attractions at the “Chaos in the Ring” event, which also featured other celebrity fights.

Following her defeat, Nkechi had said she wanted to return to acting, declaring that she was not a professional boxer.

Phyna’s victory came after Carter Efe defeated Speed Darlington in another bout at the event.

A friend who was present after Phyna’s victory also described her as a winner, saying she had always believed the reality star would triumph.

Another entertainer, Chigurl, praised Phyna after the fight, saying, “Once a winner, always a winner,” before adding that nobody should challenge her.