Street-pop singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has alleged that actor Charles Okocha bit him during their celebrity boxing rematch in Lagos, saying the incident prompted him to leave the ring before the contest ended.
Portable made the allegation in a series of posts on his official Instagram account shortly after he was disqualified, and Okocha declared the winner of the bout at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Friday.
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The rematch, promoted as “Unfinished Business” under the Chaos in the Ring celebrity boxing event, descended into chaos during the opening round as both entertainers exchanged punches before grappling and falling to the canvas.
Portable subsequently left the ring. Although he later returned, the referee ruled that he had abandoned the contest and disqualified him, handing victory to Okocha.
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The contest was organised to settle a long-running rivalry between the two entertainers, which dates back to their first celebrity boxing bout in December 2023. Portable was declared the winner of that encounter, but Okocha disputed the result and repeatedly called for a rematch.
‘He bit me’
Portable, however, rejected suggestions that he was defeated fairly, insisting that he only stopped fighting because Okocha allegedly bit him during the contest.
Addressing his team and trainer in one of the videos, the singer said: “I am a star. I was bitten. As I blew him, Okocha put his hand on my back and bit me. My fans, I am a musician; my music is okay. It’s the extra doing that makes people fight. Come and remove my clothes to see what is on my back.”
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He also defended his decision to accept the fight, saying he personally chose Okocha as his opponent and was paid for the contest.
“I am the one who chooses who to fight. I collected money. I am your brand, I am the one promoting you. My trainer trained me. You are not meant to use your teeth to fight,” he said.
‘That’s why I stopped’
Portable further insisted that he had dominated the contest before deciding to walk away.
“Don’t joke with me, I am a star. Charles Okocha, the biter. Nigeria, America, Canada, Russia, everyone, do you know why I stopped the fight? He held me and bit me. Man to man, I finished him. I beat him mercilessly. I gave him several blows.
“It’s a fight they said we should fight, not bite.”
At the time of filing this report, Okocha had not publicly responded to Portable’s allegation.
Management apologises
Amid the controversy, Portable’s management also apologised to the organisers, Balmoral Group, the event team, fans and supporters over the singer’s conduct and his decision to leave the contest.
In a statement posted on Instagram by his manager, Olawale Sarah, the management acknowledged the disappointment caused by the fight’s outcome.
“We sincerely apologise to the organisers, Balmoral Group, the entire event team, our fans, friends, family, and everyone who came out to support Portable at tonight’s celebrity boxing event,” the statement read.
The management urged the public to respect the singer’s position on the incident.
“We understand the disappointment caused by the outcome of the fight and by Portable’s decision to step away after the first round. While emotions can run high in moments like these, we respectfully ask everyone to respect his decision and perspective.”
The statement added that Portable’s management accepted responsibility for the disappointment caused by the incident and pledged to learn from the experience.
“We have taken note of the feedback, and we are committed to learning from this experience. We promise to come back stronger and do better next time.”
READ ALSO: Charles Okocha defeats Portable in celebrity boxing rematch
Long-running rivalry
Friday’s contest was expected to settle the long-running rivalry between the pair after Okocha challenged the outcome of their first meeting in 2023.
Instead, the rematch ended in fresh controversy, with Portable disputing the circumstances surrounding his defeat and alleging that Okocha resorted to biting during the contest.
Event organisers ruled that Portable’s decision to leave the ring amounted to abandoning the contest, resulting in his disqualification and Okocha being declared the winner.
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