Carter Efe and Speed Darlington traded threats and insults at a heated press conference on Tuesday ahead of their October 1 boxing bout, while Phyna and Nkechi Blessing also clashed during the build-up to the “Chaos in the Ring” event.

Tension rose at the “Chaos in the Ring” press conference on Tuesday as Carter Efe and Speed Darlington exchanged threats ahead of their October 1 boxing bout, while Phyna and Nkechi Blessing also turned their face-off into a heated confrontation.

The event, held at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Sheraton, Ikeja, Lagos, was expected to build anticipation for the Independence Day boxing card but quickly became a spectacle of arguments, insults and physical exchanges.
The drama involving Carter Efe and Speed Darlington intensified during their face-off, with both men trading words over their upcoming contest.

Carter Efe questioned Darlington’s decision to take him on after his previous defeat to Portable, whom Efe defeated by unanimous decision in May.
“Speed Darlington, are you insane? You want to fight me when you could not beat Portable. You should not be in the ring with me at all, and that is why I will beat you,” Carter Efe said.

Darlington, however, remained unfazed and warned Efe about the championship belt he won from the Portable fight.
“Be careful with that belt. Your belt is mine. Do not scratch it now,” he told Carter Efe.
The confrontation later took another turn when a birthday cake presented to Carter Efe was kicked to the ground by Darlington.

The situation became even more chaotic when fireworks brought by Carter Efe’s entourage were set off at the venue, briefly causing a fire. Security personnel and officials quickly intervened and used fire extinguishers to put out the flames.

The incident added to an already volatile afternoon, with organisers repeatedly attempting to control the fighters and their entourages.
The women’s bout also provided its share of drama as Phyna and Nkechi Blessing confronted each other ahead of their fight.

Nkechi accused Phyna of taking her disrespect too far and insisted she was fully prepared for their meeting in the ring.
“I will beat you. You won’t do it again. This disrespect is too much. I am three million per cent prepared for the fight. My body is ready,” she said.

The actress also threatened to end the fight early, telling Phyna that she would struggle to withstand her attack.
Phyna responded with her own warning, promising to settle their differences when they meet in the ring.
“I go break your head. We will see in the ring. I go make you faint. Any small thing, respect, respect. I go disrespect you for ring,” she said.

The confrontation between the two women also saw eggs thrown during the face-off, adding to the disorder as officials tried to keep both fighters apart.

Founder of Chaos in the Ring and Balmoral Group Promotions, Dr Ezekiel Adamu, acknowledged that the rivalry had become more intense than expected.
“I think it has become personal. It was personal before. I think it has become really personal now,” Adamu said.

He also pointed to the confrontations involving Efe and Darlington, as well as the professional fighters on the card, saying the event had produced “a lot of war” ahead of the main night.

The October 1 card will be headlined by Godday Appah’s defence of his WBO African Light Heavyweight Continental Championship against Ghanaian boxer Seth “Freezy Macbones” Gyimah.

Efe will face Speed Darlington, while Phyna is set to battle Nkechi Blessing in the celebrity boxing contests with the event being broadcast live on SuperSport and DAZN.