Tiwa Accepts Teni’s ₦1.5bn Fight Challenge

Afrobeats superstar Tiwa Savage has accepted a boxing challenge from fellow singer Teni, telling her to “Pick a date” after the “Fargin” hitmaker called her out in a viral video proposing a ₦1.5 billion fight purse.

Teni, whose real name is Teniola Atinuke Apata, posted the challenge on Friday, October 2, 2026, while discussing the earnings of Nigerian entertainers and the luxury cars owned by some artistes. In the video, she imagined herself as an angry fighter in the ring and joked that she would not even look at the face of Tiwa’s son, Jamil, once the bell rang. “Let’s fight, Tiwa Savage and me. Mummy, I will beat you till you enter bush,” Teni said. “Me that’s is angry, I wouldn’t even look at Jamal’s face. I will cut my eyes. One, one billion. How much them dey buy all these cars? If they pay us N1.5 billion, can I buy a Bugatti? Make we first start from there. Mama, make we fight. Tiwa, I beat you, then sing ‘My Darling’ for you.”

The promise to serenade her opponent after the fight gave the video a comic edge, but it was Tiwa Savage’s response that turned a joke into a full-blown conversation. The “Somebody’s Son” singer replied in the comments section with three words: “Pick a date.” Many fans treated the reply as an unofficial sign that both women were willing to entertain the idea of a celebrity boxing match, and the exchange quickly spread across social media.

No promoter, contract, or fight date has been announced, so the exchange remains playful for now. However, the banter has captured the imagination of Nigerian social media users, who are already speculating about the potential matchup, the training montages, and the entertainment value of two of Afrobeats’ most charismatic stars trading punches in the ring.

The challenge comes on the heels of a real celebrity bout that had Nigerian social media talking. On October 1, Big Brother Naija winner Phyna knocked out actress Nkechi Blessing in Lagos in a fight organised as part of Balmoral Group Promotions’ “Chaos in the Ring” series. The two had taken a public feud to the ring after Nkechi criticised Phyna over her frequent online disputes, and Phyna threatened to beat her. The series has also featured entertainers such as Portable, Charles Okocha, Speed Darlington, and Carter Efe. Carter Efe beat Portable by unanimous decision at Chaos in the Ring 4, after Portable had earlier defeated Okocha and Speed Darlington.

The success of the celebrity boxing series has demonstrated a growing appetite among Nigerian audiences for combat sports entertainment featuring their favourite musicians, actors, and influencers. The events draw massive crowds, generate significant pay-per-view revenue, and dominate social media conversations for days. For Tiwa Savage and Teni, a boxing match would represent the most high-profile celebrity bout yet, bringing together two artists with massive fan bases and contrasting public personas.

Tiwa Savage is one of Africa’s most successful female artists, with a career spanning over a decade and a catalogue of hits including “Kele Kele Love,” “Eminado,” and “Somebody’s Son.” She has broken barriers for women in Afrobeats, headlining major festivals, selling out venues across the world, and collaborating with international stars. Teni, on the other hand, burst onto the scene with “Askamaya” and “Case,” establishing herself as one of the most distinctive voices in Nigerian music. Known for her humour, candour, and larger-than-life personality, Teni has built a reputation for bold moves beyond music, making her challenge to Tiwa entirely in character.

The proposed ₦1.5 billion purse has also drawn attention, with fans and commentators questioning whether such a figure is realistic and what it would mean for the economics of celebrity boxing in Nigeria. Teni’s joke about buying a Bugatti with the payout highlighted the growing commercial potential of entertainment-driven combat events.

For now, whether Tiwa Savage and Teni will actually step into the ring remains uncertain. The exchange could remain playful banter, or it could evolve into a fully promoted event if the right promoter and the right money come to the table. What is clear is that the challenge has captured the public’s attention and added another chapter to the ongoing crossover between Nigerian music, entertainment, and combat sports. As one fan put it, “If this fight happens, it will break the internet.”