Controversial street-hop singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has apologised to fans and organisers after walking out of his celebrity boxing rematch against actor Charles Okocha following the opening round of their bout. The highly anticipated contest, staged by Balmoral Group on Friday night, ended abruptly when Portable declined……
Controversial street-hop singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has apologised to fans and organisers after walking out of his celebrity boxing rematch against actor Charles Okocha following the opening round of their bout.
The highly anticipated contest, staged by Balmoral Group on Friday night, ended abruptly when Portable declined to continue after the first round, leaving spectators disappointed and triggering widespread reactions on social media.
Reacting to the development, the singer’s management, Zeh Nation/Dr Zeh, issued a statement on Saturday apologising to the organisers, event officials and supporters for the anti-climactic end to the fight.
“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 withdraw from the contest had disappointed many but appealed to the public to respect his position.
“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,” it said.
Accepting responsibility for the incident, the management expressed appreciation to fans who had continued to support the artiste.
“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 added.
It also commended Balmoral Group for organising the event despite its unexpected conclusion.
“We appreciate Balmoral Group and everyone involved for putting together a great event, and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused,” it said.
The management assured fans that lessons had been learnt from the incident and promised an improved outing 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,” the statement added.
Friday’s rematch was arranged after Okocha activated the rematch clause following his defeat to Portable in their first celebrity boxing encounter in December 2023.
The fight had generated significant interest, with both entertainers exchanging verbal jabs on social media ahead of the showdown.
Portable entered the bout seeking to recover from his first celebrity boxing defeat earlier this year to content creator Carter Efe, while Okocha was aiming to avenge his previous loss.
However, the much-publicised contest ended unexpectedly after the opening round when Portable refused to continue, prompting criticism from fans and the subsequent apology from his management.
