Afrobeats singer Tiwa Savage has responded to a playful boxing challenge from fellow singer Teniola Apata, popularly known as Teni, telling her to “Pick a date”.
Teni issued the challenge in a video posted on Instagram on Friday, October 2, while discussing the earnings of Nigerian entertainers and the expensive cars owned by some artistes.
She then turned her attention to Savage and proposed that they settle the challenge in a boxing ring.
“Let’s fight, Tiwa Savage and me. Mummy, I will beat you till you enter bush. 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,” Teni said.
Savage responded in the comment section with three words: “Pick a date.”
Her reply has fuelled reactions from fans who interpreted it as a willingness to entertain the proposed bout.
However, the exchange does not amount to confirmation of an organised fight. There is currently no publicly announced promoter, venue, date, contract, rules or agreed purse for a Teni-Savage boxing match.
The ₦1.5bn figure is still hypothetical
Teni introduced the ₦1.5bn figure while talking about entertainers’ earnings and the cost of luxury cars.
There is no evidence that either singer has agreed to receive ₦1.5bn for a fight. The amount should therefore be treated as a figure floated during Teni’s playful social-media challenge, rather than an established prize or purse.
That distinction matters because a professional or celebrity boxing event would require an organiser to settle issues such as the venue, licensing, rules, medical requirements, broadcast arrangements and financial terms before it could take place.
Celebrity boxing gains attention in Nigeria
The exchange comes as celebrity boxing continues to attract attention in Nigeria.
On October 1, Big Brother Naija winner Josephina Otabor, popularly known as Phyna, defeated actress Nkechi Blessing in a four-round celebrity boxing contest at the Federal Palace Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos.
The bout formed part of Balmoral Group Promotions’ Chaos in the Ring series. Phyna was reported to have received ₦50m after the contest.
The series has also featured entertainers including Portable, Charles Okocha, Speed Darlington and Carter Efe.
Phyna subsequently called out actress Etinosa Idemudia as a possible opponent, showing how public celebrity rivalries and social-media exchanges can develop into commercially organised bouts.
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Why the Teni-Savage exchange matters
Celebrity boxing sits at the intersection of entertainment, sports and digital audiences.
For promoters, high-profile singers such as Teni and Savage could generate substantial attention because of their established fan bases. A commercially organised fight could also create opportunities for ticket sales, sponsorships, broadcasting and online content.
But the financial figure mentioned by Teni also needs context.
A ₦1.5bn purse would be significantly larger than the ₦50m prize reported for Phyna’s recent celebrity bout. Without an announced promoter or contract, however, there is no basis for treating the two figures as comparable commercial agreements.
There are also risks. Turning social-media banter into a physical contest would require proper medical checks, appropriate boxing rules, trained officials and safeguards for the participants.
What happens next?
For now, the proposed Teni-Savage fight remains a social-media challenge rather than a confirmed sporting event.
Savage’s “Pick a date” response has kept the possibility alive, but the next meaningful development would have to come from the singers, a promoter or an event organiser announcing concrete details.
Until then, fans can speculate about who would enter the ring, but there is no confirmed date for the proposed bout.
