Ghana's Seth "Freezy Macbones" Gyimah emerged victorious in a highly anticipated boxing match against Nigeria's Godday "Zodsolo" Appah, winning the WBO Africa Light Heavyweight title by majority decision on 1 October 2026. The 10-round main event took place at Balmoral Hall inside the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, as part of the Independence Day edition of "Chaos in the Ring." Gyimah's win improved his record to 13-1, while Appah fell to 15-2.
The matchup had been billed as a Ghana-Nigeria cross-border clash of heavy punchers, with Appah, the Warri-born champion fighting out of Abuja, entering with a professional record around 15-1 and a knockout rate reported above 85-90 percent. Gyimah, born in the Kumasi/Bimma area of Ghana's Ashanti Region and based in Lambeth, London, arrived at 12-1 with 11 stoppages. His aggressive and pressure-heavy style, often described as peekaboo-influenced, proved decisive in the fight.
The fight saw both men trade powerful, sustained exchanges across the scheduled ten rounds, with neither fighter able to force a stoppage. Gyimah's forward pressure and work rate proved decisive on two of the three cards against the bigger champion in front of a largely Nigerian crowd. Judges scored the bout 95-83, 95-93, and 94-94, resulting in a majority verdict that ended Appah's reign.
The event, promoted by Ezekiel Adamu's Balmoral Group and broadcast on SuperSport and DAZN, featured celebrity bouts, including Phyna stopping Nkechi Blessing and Carter Efe beating Speed Darlington. The professional undercard saw Ghana's David Tagoe lose a unanimous decision to Nigeria's Yusuf Adisa Adeniji in an eight-round featherweight contest. Nigerian singer Waje performed the national anthem before the main event.
Gyimah's path to victory was notable, given that he began boxing seriously only around age 27 after years as a mason in Ghana and later as a kitchen porter and laborer in the United Kingdom. He turned professional in March 2023 and quickly built a knockout-heavy record. His only prior professional loss came in December 2025, when Jonathan "Worldwide" Tetteh took a unanimous decision and the WBA Africa light-heavyweight title in Accra.
After the bout, Gyimah expressed his happiness and gratitude, framing the result as proof that late starts need not end ambition. He thanked supporters in Kumasi, Accra, and overseas, and urged young athletes to avoid drugs, distractions, and bad company. Coach Benard Nartey of the Ghana Armed Forces boxing team, part of Gyimah's corner, had predicted the win and later expressed pride in the outcome.
The result adds another chapter to the long Ghana-Nigeria boxing rivalry and positions the London-based Ghanaian, whose own promotional outfit is Macbones Promotions, for higher-profile African and possibly international assignments. UK-based Nigerian Dan Azeez immediately challenged the new champion, and Gyimah accepted a December meeting.
Key points
- Gyimah won the WBO Africa Light Heavyweight title by majority decision against Appah.
- The fight took place on 1 October 2026 at Balmoral Hall in Lagos.
- Gyimah's victory marked a rapid rebound onto a different sanctioning body's continental belt.
