Carter Efe retained his celebrity boxing title after defeating rapper Speed Darlington by unanimous decision, while former Big Brother Naija winner Phyna stopped actress Nkechi Blessing by fourth-round technical knockout at Balmoral’s Chaos in the Ring event in Lagos.

The celebrity boxing contests took place on Thursday at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, as entertainers and public figures stepped into the ring for one of the event’s headline attractions.

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Carter Efe and Speed Darlington went the full four rounds in their much-anticipated contest before the judges awarded Carter Efe the victory.

The organisers confirmed the result after the final bell.

“After four rounds of action, we go through the judges’ scorecard. Your winner by unanimous decision and still celebrity champion is Carter Efe,” the organisers announced.

The victory allows Carter Efe to retain the celebrity boxing championship after a competitive four-round encounter with Speed Darlington.

The contest had attracted considerable attention before fight night, with the two entertainers bringing their distinctive personalities and online followings to the event.

In the women’s bout, Phyna produced a decisive finish against Nkechi Blessing, securing a fourth-round technical knockout.

The former reality television star was declared the winner after the referee stopped the contest in the fourth round.

The organisers described the fight as the first female celebrity bout in the history of Chaos in the Ring.

“After an incredible Independence Day celebration and chaos in the ring, we do have our winner for the first-ever female celebrity bout in the history of Chaos in the Ring,” the organisers said.

“A fourth-round technical knockout, your new champion is Phyna,” the announcement added.

Phyna and Nkechi Blessing had previously been involved in a public disagreement before their rivalry moved from social media and public exchanges into the boxing ring.

The bout gave Phyna an opportunity to settle the rivalry under the lights, with the reality star eventually securing the more emphatic victory of the evening.

The two fights formed part of Balmoral’s wider celebrity boxing programme, which has increasingly brought Nigerian entertainers, actors, content creators and reality television personalities together in a sporting setting.

For Carter Efe, the unanimous-decision victory means another successful defence of his celebrity boxing status.

For Phyna, the fourth-round stoppage delivered a memorable debut in the event’s female division and secured her place as the first winner of a women’s celebrity bout under the Chaos in the Ring banner.

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The event also added another entertainment spectacle to Nigeria’s Independence Day celebrations, drawing attention to the growing crossover between the country’s entertainment industry and celebrity sports.