Street-pop artist Habeeb Okikiola, widely known as Portable, has opened up about why he walked out of the ring during his high-profile celebrity boxing rematch against Nollywood actor Charles Okocha.
The “Zazoo Zeh” hitmaker claimed he was unfairly targeted during the bout, alleging that Okocha abandoned proper boxing techniques to wrestle and even bite him.
Portable addressed his fans in a video shared on his official Instagram page on Saturday, just hours after his disqualification at the Balmoral Convention Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Displaying visible marks and a wound on his back, Portable insisted that multiple people turned on him during the contest: “They said he eats Molly. He didn’t see Molly anymore. So he ate my back.”
Reiterating the biting allegations, the singer maintained that he held the upper hand before the scuffle broke out, claiming he delivered heavy punches to his opponent: “Man, he bit me. I landed a heavy hit on him.”
“Normally, I beat him up. Man to man, one man is tougher than another. I dealt him a huge blow.”
Justifying his decision to abandon the ring before the opening round concluded, Portable asserted that his star power and career value far outweighed the fight’s financial rewards: “He bit me, number one. He choked my neck. Camera it. That’s why I say I don’t fight again. I’m big! I’m bigger than the money! I’m a star!”
Titled “Unfinished Business,” the rematch was organized to settle scores following their controversial initial encounter, which Okocha had previously claimed was wrongly awarded to Portable.
Friday’s clash began with Portable pressing the advantage before the contest devolved into a chaotic wrestling match as the referee struggled to separate the pair.
Security personnel and bodyguards intervened to restore order when the bell sounded.
Although Portable briefly returned following the chaos, officials ultimately disqualified him, handing the victory to Okocha.
See video below:
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