Chaos in the Ring: Federal Palace Hotel erupts as celebrities go to war
Date:
1 October 2026 4:00am WAT
• Organisers unveil tickets as Efe, Darlington trade words
Boxing lovers in Lagos and its environs will be in for a special Independence Day fiesta today when some of the best fighters within the West Africa sub-region and some celebrities step onto the ring at the Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.
Tagged “Chaos in the Ring,” the event will be headlined by Godday Appah’s defence of his WBO African Light Heavyweight Continental Championship against Ghana’s Seth “Freezy Macbones” Gyimah. But the thrills of the evening will be heightened by the face between Efe and Speed Darlington, as well as the clash of amazons involving Phyna and Nkechi Blessing.
At the pre-event press conference on Tuesday, Balmoral Promotions Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ezekiel Adamu, said that everything is ready for one of the best Independence Day festivities in recent time.
Apart from the fights in the ring, Ezekiel assured boxing fans that they will be treated to the best of Nigerian arts and culture. He added: “All the fighters are around, the sanctioning bodies are around, the zone is around, and we’re ready to rumble.
“For the first time we have a female celebrity bout, which I think has gone very viral. Many people are looking forward to that. There’s still Carter Efe and Speed Darlington.
“There’s a lot of bouts on the card, and we can’t wait.”
Adamu described the rivalry between Phyna and Nkechi Blessing as having taken a genuinely personal turn.
“I think it has become personal. It was personal before. I think it has become really personal now. We saw Carter and Speedy as well. It is going to be very crazy chaos. We saw Freezy and Godday as well. I mean, there is a lot of war over the night. Another edition of chaos at the press conference. Can’t wait,” Adamu said.
He said the level of drama on display had not been anticipated by organisers.
“I think it is going to be a war. I think Nkechi is really pissed. She cannot wait to get her hands on Phyna now, and I think Speedy as well, too, based on the stunt that Carter just pulled. I think it is going to be a proper war,” he said.
He disclosed that regular tickets for the bouts will go between N25,000 and N30,000, while the VIP ticket is for N150,000, and the ringside seats will go for N500,000. There are also tables, he added.
At the unveiling of the fighters, skit maker Carter Efe and rapper Speed Darlington gave fight fans a glimpse of what to expect today when they almost came to blows.
The celebrities were separated by bouncers when Speed Darlington kicked a birthday cake meant for Carter Efe to the ground.
There was also a fiery exchange between Phyna and Nkechi Blessing, which descended into disorder when firecrackers set off by Efe’s entourage sparked a brief fire, which was quickly doused with extinguishers.
Efe opened the confrontation by questioning Speed Darlington’s decision to step into the ring with him after his win over Habeeb “Portable” Badmus 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,” he said.
Efe clarified his comments on musician Wizkid, insisting they were not meant to cause offence.
“Some people think me calling out Wizkid is disrespectful too, but it is not. It is entertainment. It is not disrespectful. I do not know why people think that. It is a sport, and we will entertain fans and make money,” Efe added.
Speed Darlington did not back down from his rival’s threats and turned his attention to Efe’s belt, won against Portable, saying, “Be careful with that belt. Your belt is mine. Do not scratch it now.”
The event will be broadcast live on SuperSport and DAZN, with the card powered by Bet9ja.
