NOLLYWOOD actor, Charles Okocha, was on Friday, July 31, declared winner of a celebrity rematch after his opponent, musician, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, was disqualified for walking out of the ring before the end of the opening round.
The highly anticipated bout, tagged, ‘Unfinished Business,’ held at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, was organised as a rematch of their controversial first encounter, which Okocha had maintained was wrongly awarded to Portable.
The street musician appeared to be in control during the early exchanges before the contest descended into a wrestling-like scuffle, forcing the referee to repeatedly intervene in an attempt to separate both fighters.
The opening round eventually ended amid the chaos, with security personnel and bodyguards stepping in to restore order.
Before officials could resume the fight, Portable left the ring, drawing loud boos from spectators, including fans seated in the VIP section.
Although he was later persuaded to return, officials ruled that he had abandoned the contest and disqualified him, handing victory to Okocha.
Prior to the fight, Portable had spoken backstage, while holding his son, saying: “I am not happy, but I want God to make me happy and my family.”
The defeat marks a dramatic turnaround for the singer, who won the first bout and had confidently declared during the final weigh-in that he was still the better fighter.
