Street-pop singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, was disqualified during his celebrity boxing rematch against actor Charles Okocha on Friday after walking out of the ring before the end of the opening round.
The bout, tagged “Unfinished Business,” was held at the Balmoral Convention Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, as a rematch of their previous controversial encounter, which Portable had won.
Portable appeared to dominate the early exchanges before the contest descended into a wrestling-style altercation, forcing the referee to intervene repeatedly in an attempt to separate both fighters.
Following the end of the opening round, security personnel stepped in to restore order after tensions flared in the ring. However, Portable exited the ring, drawing boos from sections of the audience.
Although the singer later returned, officials ruled that leaving the ring before the continuation of the contest constituted grounds for disqualification, handing victory to Charles Okocha.
Speaking before the fight, Portable had expressed optimism about the outcome, saying he hoped God would “make me happy and my family.”
The result marks a reversal of fortunes from their first meeting, where Portable claimed victory and had confidently predicted another win in the highly anticipated rematch.
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