Celebrity Boxing Drama: Portable Exits Ring, Okocha Emerges Winner
Nollywood actor Charles Okocha has defeated street-pop singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, after their much-anticipated celebrity boxing rematch ended in controversy when the singer walked out of the ring after the opening round.
The bout, tagged “Unfinished Business,” took place on Friday at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, as part of the Chaos in the Ring boxing series.
The contest lived up to its billing from the opening bell, with both entertainers exchanging punches before Portable grabbed Okocha and wrestled him to the canvas.
The referee quickly stepped in to separate the pair as security personnel and bouncers entered the ring to restore order following the chaotic exchange.
After the opening round ended, Portable unexpectedly walked out of the ring, drawing loud boos from sections of the crowd.
Although the singer later returned and insisted that taking Okocha to the ground meant he had won the contest, officials ruled that he had abandoned the fight and awarded victory to Okocha.
Announcing the decision, the event host declared: “We do have a decision. And due to the fact that Portable abandoned the ring after the first round, we have a winner, Mr. Algorithm, Charles.”
The abrupt ending meant there was no conventional judges’ scorecard, with the fight decided solely on Portable’s exit from the contest.
Following the announcement, Portable was seen arguing with members of his team, maintaining that Okocha had not fought fairly.
The rematch reignited a rivalry that began in 2023 after Portable accused Okocha of failing to pay him millions of naira for an event appearance. Okocha denied owing the singer, insisting there was no formal agreement between them, although he admitted transferring ₦5 million to Portable.
Their disagreement spilled onto social media before culminating in their first celebrity boxing contest at Landmark Beach, Victoria Island, in December 2023, where Portable was declared the winner after four rounds.
Okocha disputed that result, alleging the fight was unfair and citing an incident involving Portable’s gloves before activating a rematch clause that paved the way for Friday’s encounter.
The build-up to the rematch was equally heated, with both entertainers exchanging threats during press conferences and media appearances.
Okocha prepared for the fight under the guidance of heavyweight boxer Moses Itauma, while Portable trained with boxer Taiwo “Esehpo” Agbaje.
The fight also came on the back of Portable’s disappointing outing in May 2026, when comedian and content creator Carter Efe defeated him by unanimous decision at Chaos in the Ring 4, ending his reign as celebrity boxing champion.
Despite that defeat, Portable had remained confident before Friday’s contest, insisting he would beat Okocha and describing himself as “the face of boxing in Nigeria.”
Friday’s victory hands Okocha the revenge he had sought since their controversial first meeting and levels the rivalry between the two entertainers at one win apiece, while Portable has now suffered back-to-back defeats in the celebrity boxing series.
