Nollywood actor Charles Okocha was declared winner of his celebrity boxing rematch against street-pop singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, after the singer walked out of the contest before the end of the opening round, leading to his disqualification.
The highly anticipated bout, held on Friday night, ended in controversy when Portable abruptly left the ring during the first round. Although he later returned, officials disqualified him, handing victory to Okocha.
Following the incident, Portable issued a public apology through his management, Zeh Nation/Dr Zeh, expressing regret to the event organisers, fans and everyone affected by his actions.
In a statement released on Saturday, the management apologised to Balmoral Group, the organisers of the celebrity boxing event, as well as the event team, supporters, friends and family.
“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 acknowledged that the singer’s decision to quit after the opening round had disappointed many people but appealed to Nigerians to respect his perspective.
“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.”
Accepting responsibility for the controversy, the management said it remained grateful for the support Portable had continued to receive.
“On behalf of Portable’s management, we take full responsibility for the disappointment this may have caused. We remain grateful for the unwavering love and support shown to him throughout this journey.”
The statement also thanked Balmoral Group for successfully organising the event despite its dramatic conclusion.
“We appreciate Balmoral Group and everyone involved for putting together a great event, and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
Assuring fans that lessons had been learnt, the management promised that Portable would return stronger in future contests.
“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.”
Earlier on Saturday, before issuing the apology, Portable defended his decision to abandon the fight, alleging that Charles Okocha bit and choked him during what he described as a wrestling-style altercation rather than a boxing contest.
Despite the controversy and Portable’s allegations, officials upheld the disqualification, confirming Charles Okocha as the winner of the celebrity boxing rematch.