Okocha defeats Portable in celebrity boxing rematch

What began as a bitter dispute over money has now come full circle in the boxing ring, with Nollywood actor Charles Okocha getting his revenge over street-pop singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable. Okocha defeated Portable in their highly anticipated celebrity boxing rematch on Friday, 31 July, at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. The bout, promoted as “Unfinished Business” under the Chaos in the Ring franchise, came more than two years after their first encounter, which Portable won at Landmark Beach in Victoria Island in December 2023. In the ring The bout began at a frantic pace, with both men exchanging punches before the contest quickly descended into a grappling contest. Portable grabbed Okocha and took him to the canvas, prompting the referee to intervene and separate the pair. Security personnel and bouncers also entered the ring as the confrontation threatened to spiral further. After the fighters were separated and the round came to an end, Portable unexpectedly walked out of the ring, leaving the arena amid boos from sections of the crowd. Portable preparing for his match He later returned and appeared to argue that taking Okocha to the canvas meant he had won the bout. Officials, however, did not accept the claim. Portable was subsequently ruled to have abandoned the contest, with Okocha declared the winner. The official decision was by disqualification following Portable’s walkout, making it a unanimous-decision victory for Okocha. “We do have a decision. And because Portable abandoned the ring after the first round, we have a winner, Mr Algorithm, Charles,” the host announced. However, there was no conventional round-by-round scoring because the bout ended after the opening round. Portable was also seen arguing with members of his corner after leaving the ring, insisting that Okocha had not fought fairly. Long-running rivalry The rivalry between the entertainers dates back to a disputed business deal that triggered a public fallout in 2023. Portable had accused Okocha of withholding money from an event and alleged that he was owed millions of naira. Okocha, however, disputed the claim, maintaining that there was no formal agreement between them and that he had transferred ₦5 million to Portable after the event. The disagreement escalated online before the pair eventually agreed to settle their differences in the boxing ring. Charles Okocha before the match Their first fight, sanctioned by Heritage Boxing Entertainment, lasted four rounds and ended with Portable being declared the winner. The contest, which began shortly after 1 a.m., lasted about 40 minutes. Okocha subsequently disputed the outcome, describing the bout as rigged and citing an incident in which he alleged Portable removed his gloves during the third round. He called for a rematch, which was later activated. The long-awaited rematch was eventually scheduled for July 31, 2026, as one of the headline attractions of Chaos in the Ring. Promoters described it as an opportunity for both entertainers to settle their “unfinished business finally”. Build-up The build-up to the rematch was as heated as the rivalry itself, with both men exchanging threats during press conferences, interviews and face-offs. Okocha predicted that Portable would not last beyond two rounds, while Portable remained confident that he would repeat his earlier victory. Okocha also trained with heavyweight boxer Moses Itauma ahead of the bout, while Portable prepared under boxer Taiwo “Esehpo” Agbaje. READ ALSO: Portable challenges Davido, Zlatan for celebrity boxing showdowns after Carter Efe defeat in Lagos The rematch also came at a crucial point in Portable’s celebrity boxing run. The singer had suffered his first defeat in the celebrity boxing circuit in May 2026, when content creator Carter Efe beat him by unanimous decision at Chaos in the Ring 4. That loss ended Portable’s reign as celebrity boxing champion. Face of boxing? Portable had nevertheless remained confident ahead of the Okocha rematch, declaring in an earlier interview, “Don’t worry, not if I win. I’m winning this match.” He had also described himself as “the face of boxing in Nigeria” and said he had received ₦50 million ahead of the bout, claiming the total purse was ₦150 million. Charles Okocha declared winner But the rematch produced a different outcome from their first meeting. Okocha emerged victorious, handing Portable another setback and settling a rivalry that had moved from social media arguments and allegations of a financial dispute to two celebrity boxing encounters. The result gives Okocha the bragging rights he had sought since his controversial defeat to Portable in 2023, while Portable now has consecutive losses in the celebrity boxing ring. The victory handed Okocha revenge for his controversial 2023 defeat and gave Portable his second consecutive loss in the celebrity boxing circuit, following his earlier defeat to comedian Carter. Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.