Street-pop singer Habeeb Okikiola, better known as Portable, has given his account of why he walked out during the opening round of his celebrity boxing rematch with Nollywood actor Charles Okocha.
The contest, billed as unfinished business, took place on Friday at the Balmoral Convention Centre inside the Federal Palace Hotel on Victoria Island, Lagos.
The pair first fought in 2023 after a public dispute over an alleged multi-million-naira business deal. Portable was declared the winner then, but Okocha activated a rematch clause, insisting the original result had been unfair.
READ ALSO: Charles Okocha Avenges 2023 Loss as Portable Walks Out in Chaotic Celebrity Boxing Rematch
In the rematch the action quickly turned messy. Portable appeared to land the cleaner early shots before the bout collapsed into a wrestling-style clinch. He took Okocha to the canvas, forcing the referee and security personnel to intervene. Once the fighters were separated, Portable left the ring. Officials later disqualified him for abandoning the contest and awarded the victory to Okocha.
Speaking afterwards on Instagram, Portable displayed marks on his back and body. He claimed Okocha had bitten him and choked his neck, turning a boxing match into something else entirely. “He bit me… that’s why I say I don’t fight again. I’m bigger than the money. I’m a star,” he said. Portable maintained he had dominated the exchanges and only clinched after the alleged bite. He added that he had entered the ring intending to finish the fight in a single round.
The abrupt ending drew boos from the crowd and sparked widespread online debate, but the official result stands.
