What was expected to be a routine press conference ahead of the Chaos in the Ring event quickly turned heated on Wednesday as several fighters and celebrities nearly came to blows during their promotional face offs in Lagos.
The explosive scenes have added even more anticipation to the October 1 event, which coincides with Nigeria’s Independence Day and is scheduled to take place at The Balmoral, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.
The show will bring together professional boxers and well known entertainers for a night of boxing and sports entertainment, but tensions among some of the participants have already spilled beyond the stage.
The biggest confrontation came during the face off between Nigeria’s Godday Appah and Ghanaian boxer Seth “Freezy Macbones” Gyimah.
The two fighters were separated by security personnel after a tense exchange escalated, with Gyimah attempting to move past the security line to get closer to Appah. Appah also pushed aside a security operative as both camps struggled to contain the situation.
The incident gave an early glimpse of the intensity surrounding their scheduled main event clash, with the pair set to fight for the WBO African Light title.
The celebrity bout involving streamer Oderhohwo Joseph Efe, popularly known as Carter Efe, and rapper Darlington Okoye, better known as Speed Darlington, produced another dramatic scene.
Carter Efe surprised those at the event when he removed his clothes down to his boxers before jumping across the stage and attempting to confront Speed Darlington. His opponent responded by grabbing a number of chairs nearby, prompting security officials to quickly step in and separate both men.
The confrontations were not limited to the headline attractions.
Another heated exchange occurred during the face off between Basit “Jokerboy” Adebayo and Fatiu Jomoni. Adebayo, visibly agitated, switched to Yoruba while directing strong words at his opponent, who responded in similar fashion.
Their exchange has added a personal edge to what is expected to be a competitive lightweight contest on October 1.
Beyond the drama surrounding the face offs, organisers say Chaos in the Ring is designed to give African boxing a bigger platform and create opportunities for fighters to compete for major international titles without having to leave the continent.
Dr. Ezekiel Adamu, founder of Chaos in the Ring and Balmoral Group Promotions, said the event forms part of a broader effort to create a sustainable platform for African boxers while taking the continent’s boxing talent to a global audience.
The fight card also includes Eworitse “African King” Arenyeka against Lekan “The Engine” Muibi, Yusuf “Swaggu” Adeniji against Tagoe, Israel Makinde against Abiodun Muyideen, and Rimpassakde “The King Cobra” Kinda against Rosnov.
With tensions already running high before the first bell, the October 1 event promises to deliver more than just competitive boxing when the fighters finally settle their differences inside the ring.
The event will be available to audiences around the world through international sports broadcasters SuperSport and DAZN.
