'It's Not By Gra-Gra' – Phyna Speaks On Victory Over Nkechi Blessing
Controversial reality star Josephina Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, has opened up about her victory over actress Nkechi Blessing in their celebrity boxing match, revealing that she relied on wisdom rather than aggression.
Speaking In a recent interview with comedian Egungun, she explained that everything is not about showing raw power, noting that logic played a key role in her win.
Phyna acknowledged that Nkechi Blessing was bigger than her in size, so as a smart girl, she had to apply wisdom and refuse to be led by anger. She revealed that she trained for just 10 days ahead of the fight.
The Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner also recalled noticing, as the bout was about to begin, that Nkechi was not holding her hands like a trained boxer, which made her realise her opponent wanted a street fight, knowing it would be harder to call fouls.
She said she was having fun and the fight ended too fast, adding that she had promised to use her opponent to run around the ring and rub the ground. When asked about a rematch, Phyna said there was no need, noting that she does not disrespect her elders and does not want any curse to follow her.
"Everything is not by gra-gra; everything is not by 'I too get power pass.' Sometimes, you need to apply what we call logic. She dey on a mightier size than me. So, as a smart girl, I suppose I should apply wisdom and refuse to be led by anger."
"I trained for just 10 days."
"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 someone wey wan box. Na there I come to understand say, okay, she want run me street fight, because she know say they no go quick dey foul am."
"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… I go use you rub ground.'"
"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."
The Nigerian Voice recalls that Phyna and Nkechi Blessing fought in a celebrity boxing match on Thursday, October 1, 2026, organised by Balmoral Group. Phyna secured a decisive knockout victory in the fourth round, marking the first female celebrity boxing match staged by the group.
Following her win, Phyna expressed her ambition to pursue professional boxing and called out Etinosa for another fight, a challenge Etinosa accepted. Her victory earned her N50 million from Worldstreet, a trading, gaming, and entertainment platform, in addition to an electric vehicle.