Street-pop singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has opened up on why he left the ring during his celebrity boxing rematch with Nollywood actor Charles Okocha, explaining that the contest turned unsafe and deviated from standard rules.
The highly anticipated bout, tagged Unfinished Business and part of the Chaos In The Ring franchise, was held on Friday, July 31, 2026, at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, drawing a large crowd of entertainment fans.
The match, however, ended in controversy after Portable walked out of the ring before the first round was concluded, prompting officials to disqualify him and declare Okocha as the winner of the rematch in front of disappointed spectators.
Hours after the fight, the singer took to his Instagram page to explain his decision in a video posted online. Portable alleged that the contest deviated from standard boxing rules and quickly descended into a wrestling-like scuffle that officials could not control.
According to him, the fight turned into a physical struggle which led him to discontinue the match for safety reasons, claiming that his opponent resorted to tactics outside boxing regulations.
I was in control of the fight. I landed my punches as promised, Portable said in the video, while showing what he described as marks sustained during the bout, including an alleged bite on his back that forced him to stop.
He also stated that Okocha locked his neck tightly during the clinch and bit him, making it impossible to continue under proper boxing regulations and putting his safety at serious risk inside the ring.
I am a star, I am bigger than this. I did not want to take further risks, he added, noting that he decided to leave the ring because he did not want to risk serious injury, with his music career remaining his top priority over celebrity boxing.
Portable claimed that he had fulfilled his promise of landing multiple punches before exiting the ring, adding that he had prepared to finish the fight in the early round as he had vowed before the event and had trained for a quick knockout.
The event, which attracted a large crowd and was organised by Balmoral Group Promotions, was later brought under control by security officials who intervened to restore order after the bout descended into chaos and fans reacted to the abrupt ending.
Following his exit, officials disqualified Portable and declared Okocha as the winner of the rematch, giving the Nollywood actor revenge for their controversial first encounter which Okocha had insisted was unfairly awarded to Portable in their previous meeting.
The result marks Portable's second loss in a celebrity boxing contest in the last three months, after his defeat to skit maker Carter Efe on May 2nd, raising questions about his future in the celebrity boxing scene and his strategy for future bouts.
Fans have continued to react to the outcome on social media, with many calling for clearer rules and better officiating in future celebrity boxing events, while others criticized the lack of standard boxing enforcement and the wrestling-like nature of the fight.
According to analysis by DailyVista247, the Chaos In The Ring event was billed as a major entertainment showdown in Lagos, but the controversial ending highlighted the need for stricter regulation of celebrity boxing bouts in Nigeria to protect participants and maintain credibility.
photo credit: Balmoral promotions
