Chiney Ogwumike’s husband is Raphael Akpejiori, a Nigerian-born professional heavyweight boxer and mechanical engineer. The couple met on Hinge, got engaged on Christmas Eve 2022, and married in a five-day Nigerian fusion wedding in Houston, Texas in November 2023.

Raphael Akpejiori: Quick Facts

Raphael Akpejiori is a 35-year-old professional heavyweight boxer who has built a professional record of 19 wins and 2 losses since turning pro in 2018. He brings an equally impressive resume outside the ring, holding both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Miami.

From Lagos to Miami: A Multi-Sport Journey

Raphael Akpejiori was born in Lagos, Nigeria on October 10, 1990, and eventually made his way to the University of Miami, where he carved out an athletic career that most colleges see from two separate players. Over four seasons, he suited up as a forward on the Hurricanes basketball team. Then, in a pivot that surprised his coaches, he also joined the football program as a tight end.

His football experiment extended beyond graduation. In 2015, according to the Miami Herald, Akpejiori was added to the Miami Dolphins practice squad, a short-lived but notable achievement for someone who arrived in the United States primarily as a basketball recruit.

While managing that two-sport schedule, he pursued a degree that had nothing to do with either sport. Akpejiori earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Miami, later taking a position in the school’s Energy Department.

Four sports across one college career, two engineering degrees, and a spot on an NFL practice squad. That combination is genuinely rare, and it tells you something about how he approaches challenges before boxing even enters the picture.

The “Nigerian Hurricane”: How Raphael Built a Boxing Career From Scratch

Raphael Akpejiori started boxing not as a career move, but because a friend suggested hitting the gym. By his own account, it “started as a workout.” Within months, he was competing as an amateur, and he finished that phase with a 13-1 record before turning professional in 2018.

Standing at 6 feet 8 inches with an 84-inch reach, Akpejiori fights in the heavyweight division under two names. The ring knows him as “Ethasor,” his given first name, while the broader boxing community calls him the “Nigerian Hurricane.” The nickname fits: he finished the vast majority of his amateur bouts before they went to the judges, and that finishing tendency carried into his professional career.

He began training with former world light-heavyweight champion Glen Johnson early in his professional development. Johnson, who described Akpejiori as “very raw” when they first worked together, later said watching him develop was “very gratifying.” That kind of praise from a former world champion carries weight. By 2025, Akpejiori had compiled a professional record of 19-2-0, per publicly available fighter databases tracking his career.

The trajectory matters here. A man who picked up boxing as a hobby, with no formal amateur background until adulthood, reached a professional record of 19-2 in the heavyweight division. Most fighters spend their childhoods in gyms to reach that mark.

How Chiney and Raphael Met: A Love Story That Started With Hinge and a Concert

Chiney Ogwumike and Raphael Akpejiori’s relationship started through the dating app Hinge, according to People magazine’s reporting. Their first date was a Burna Boy concert, which given both of their Nigerian roots, was less of a coincidence and more of an obvious starting point.

Chiney, who was known for keeping her personal life entirely private throughout her WNBA career and her rise at ESPN, did not publicly confirm the relationship for quite some time. She had made it a deliberate practice to separate her public persona from her romantic life, which made the eventual announcement all the more noticed.

The engagement happened on Christmas Eve 2022. Akpejiori proposed, and Chiney accepted. She shared the news publicly not long after, marking one of the rare instances where the broadcaster chose to let the public in.

“Chiney Ogwumike and Boxer Raphael Akpejiori Marry in Epic Four-Day Wedding Celebration”

— r/wnba, November 2023 (5 upvotes, community announcement)

The couple’s approach to their relationship reflected something broader about Chiney’s public persona. She was the most prominent female sports analyst in the country, and yet the relationship had been kept away from cameras for most of its existence. One of the most visible people in American sports broadcasting had built one of the most private courtships in her industry. This aligns with her broader philosophy of maintaining privacy as a deliberate form of self-protection, one she has spoken about publicly in media contexts.

The Five-Day Wedding That Made Houston Feel Like Lagos

The wedding took place in November 2023 in Houston, Texas, Chiney’s hometown. What followed was not a single ceremony but a five-day celebration that wove together two cultural traditions with the kind of detail that usually takes a year to plan.

Houston was a deliberate choice. The city has one of the largest Nigerian diaspora communities in the United States, earning it the informal nickname “Baby Lagos.” For a couple with Edo and Igbo heritage celebrating in a city that already spoke their cultural language, the setting made complete sense.

The Nigerian portion of the ceremony took place at the Igbo Catholic Community Center, with traditional elements that included native clothing, the presentation of the kola nut, and multiple outfit changes, a standard feature of Nigerian celebratory culture. The Akpejiori family’s Edo heritage and the Ogwumike family’s Igbo roots were both honored throughout the festivities.

A second traditional Western ceremony took place at Christ the Redeemer Church, giving the celebration a spiritual dimension in both cultural frameworks. Former WNBA star Lisa Leslie was among the celebrity guests in attendance, and by multiple accounts, the dancefloor stayed busy.

Rather than one honeymoon, the couple opted for what they called “mini-moons,” a series of weekend trips to different destinations, spread across the months following the wedding. It matched the rhythms of two careers that don’t lend themselves easily to extended time away.

Chiney now goes by Chiney Akpejiori professionally and personally. The wedding was covered by Essence magazine and The Knot, both of which published exclusive photos from the celebration, giving the public the first extended look at a relationship that had largely stayed out of sight.

Who Is Chiney Ogwumike? A Quick Profile

Chinenye “Chiney” Ogwumike was born on August 15, 1992, in Houston, Texas, to Nigerian parents. She starred at Stanford University before being selected first overall in the 2014 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun. Over her playing career, she made two WNBA All-Star teams and played for both the Connecticut Sun and the Los Angeles Sparks before transitioning fully to broadcasting.

At ESPN, she became a multi-platform analyst covering the NBA, WNBA, and women’s college basketball. In 2018, she made history as the first professional athlete to hold a full-time national sports media position while still active in her playing league. Her sister, Nneka Ogwumike, is also a prominent WNBA player and NBA front office executive, making the Ogwumike family one of the most accomplished athletic households in American sports history, per her Wikipedia biography.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Chiney Ogwumike’s husband?

Chiney Ogwumike’s husband is Raphael Akpejiori, a professional heavyweight boxer and mechanical engineer from Lagos, Nigeria. The couple married in November 2023 in Houston, Texas, after getting engaged on Christmas Eve 2022.

What is Raphael Akpejiori’s professional boxing record?

Raphael Akpejiori holds a professional boxing record of 19 wins and 2 losses as of 2025. He turned professional in 2018 after finishing his amateur career with a 13-1 record. He fights in the heavyweight division under the ring name “Ethasor” and the nickname “Nigerian Hurricane.”

How did Chiney Ogwumike and Raphael Akpejiori meet?

Chiney and Raphael met through the dating app Hinge. Their first date was at a Burna Boy concert. They dated privately for several months before Raphael proposed on Christmas Eve 2022.

When did Chiney Ogwumike get married?

Chiney Ogwumike married Raphael Akpejiori in November 2023 in Houston, Texas. The wedding spanned five days and included both a traditional Nigerian ceremony at the Igbo Catholic Community Center and a Western ceremony at Christ the Redeemer Church.

Is Raphael Akpejiori a mechanical engineer?

Yes. Raphael Akpejiori holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Miami. After graduating, he worked in the University of Miami’s Energy Department before focusing more fully on his boxing career.

Did Raphael Akpejiori play college sports?

Yes, Raphael played two sports at the University of Miami. He was a forward on the Hurricanes basketball team for four seasons and also served as a tight end on the football team. In 2015, he was added to the Miami Dolphins practice squad.

Does Chiney Ogwumike go by a different name now?

After the wedding, Chiney began using the name Chiney Akpejiori in both her professional and personal life, combining her given first name with her husband’s surname.

Where is Raphael Akpejiori from?

Raphael Akpejiori was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. He comes from an Edo ethnic background and shares his Nigerian heritage with Chiney Ogwumike, whose family is of Igbo descent. Both Nigerian communities were honored at their 2023 Houston wedding.