Portable walks out after the opening round as officials declare Okocha winner of the “Unfinished Business” showdown in Lagos.
Nollywood actor Charles Okocha has claimed victory over street-pop singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, after their highly anticipated celebrity boxing rematch ended in dramatic fashion in Lagos.
The bout, tagged “Unfinished Business,” took place on Friday at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, as part of the Chaos in the Ring franchise.
The contest descended into chaos in the opening round after both entertainers exchanged punches before Portable grabbed Okocha and slammed him to the canvas. The referee immediately intervened, while security personnel and bouncers entered the ring to restore order.
After the first round, Portable walked out of the ring, drawing boos from sections of the crowd. Although he later returned and argued that taking Okocha to the canvas meant he had won, officials ruled that he had abandoned the fight and awarded victory to Okocha.
Announcing the result, the event host said Okocha was declared the winner because Portable left the ring before the contest could continue.
The rematch settled another chapter in the long-running rivalry between the two entertainers, which began in 2023 over a disputed business deal. Their first boxing clash, held in December 2023, ended with Portable being declared the winner, a result Okocha strongly contested before activating a rematch clause.
Ahead of Friday’s showdown, both men traded verbal jabs and trained extensively, with Okocha preparing alongside heavyweight boxer Moses Itauma and Portable working with boxer Taiwo “Esehpo” Agbaje.
The victory gives Okocha the revenge he had sought since their controversial first encounter, while Portable has now suffered back-to-back defeats in the celebrity boxing circuit after losing to Carter Efe earlier this year.