Street-pop artiste, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, suffered defeat in his celebrity boxing rematch against Nollywood actor Charles Okocha after he was disqualified for leaving the ring before the end of the opening round on Friday.
The highly anticipated showdown, dubbed “Unfinished Business,” took place at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The rematch was organised following the controversy surrounding their first meeting, which Okocha had maintained was wrongly awarded in Portable’s favour.
Portable looked set to dominate the contest early on before the fight deteriorated into a wrestling-style exchange, forcing the referee to repeatedly intervene in an attempt to separate both fighters.
The opening round was eventually brought to an end with the bell, while security operatives and members of both camps stepped in to calm the tense situation.
In the aftermath of the melee, Portable abruptly exited the ring before officials could restart the bout, drawing loud boos from the crowd, including spectators seated in the VIP section.
Although he later returned after appeals from those around him, officials ruled that his actions warranted disqualification, officially awarding victory to Okocha.
Speaking backstage before the fight while carrying his son, Portable had said, “I am not happy, but I want God to make me happy and my family.”
The result marked a dramatic turnaround from their previous encounter, where Portable emerged victorious and confidently declared during the final weigh-in that he remained the superior boxer.
