The long-running rivalry between Nollywood stars Iyabo Ojo and Lizzy Anjorin has taken a physical turn as Iyabo officially challenged her colleague to a boxing match. In a video shared online where she was seen sharpening her skills, Iyabo went as far as calling on prominent figures like Soso Soberekon and billionaire E-Money to get behind the event as sponsors. With a clear “no long talk” attitude, she signaled that she is ready to settle their scores in the ring, even asking what kind of stakes would be put on the table.
This bold move follows a series of heavy accusations and back-and-forth drama that has spanned over two years. Recently, the tension spiked when Lizzy allegedly linked Iyabo to the passing of rising singer Destiny Boy. Responding during a TikTok live session, Iyabo urged her followers to stay calm, suggesting that Lizzy’s erratic behavior was a sign that she needed medical help. She expressed deep disappointment that those close to Lizzy, including her husband, hadn’t intervened to seek professional support for her, noting that the “sweet personality” the actress once had seems to have vanished.
This isn’t the first time a physical showdown has been suggested. Iyabo’s partner, Paulo Okoye, had previously proposed a boxing match between the two women with a 10 million Naira prize for the winner. The history of their conflict is thick with legal threats and public outbursts, including a massive one-billion-Naira defamation lawsuit filed by Iyabo that was ultimately dismissed by a Lagos court in 2024. Although the presiding judge tried to play mediator and urged both women to embrace peace for the sake of their families, the truce appears to have been short-lived.
Lizzy, on her part, has her own list of grievances. During her wedding anniversary last year, she claimed that Iyabo had been working tirelessly to ruin her marriage and business since 2020. Her allegations include claims of hired spies, forged documents used for social media monetization, and constant online harassment. On the other hand, Iyabo has raised concerns for her own safety, warning the public to hold Lizzy accountable if anything happens to her or her children, stating clearly that there is no loyalty or friendship left between them.
Despite warnings from legal teams and advice from the bench, the war of words shows no sign of slowing down. Iyabo has admitted that while she tries to maintain her peace and ignore the distractions, the attacks on her family—especially her grandson—are becoming harder to overlook. With the boxing challenge now out in the open, it seems the battle has moved from the courtroom and social media comment sections to a much more confrontational stage.
