By Segun Adebayo
Controversial singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, and Nollywood actor Charles Okocha have traded words after the singer abandoned their celebrity boxing rematch, paving the way for Okocha to be declared winner.
The highly anticipated bout, held at Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, ended in controversy after Portable walked out of the ring before the contest was concluded, Persecondnews reports.
Speaking after the fight, Okocha accused Portable of abandoning boxing for wrestling tactics, saying he trained for a professional boxing contest but was instead met with grappling and other antics in the ring.
“I trained for boxing, not wrestling,” the actor said, insisting his opponent resorted to tactics outside the rules when he could no longer cope with the contest.
The event organiser, Dr. Easy, also condemned the incident, describing the scenes as “completely unacceptable.”
According to him, fans deserved a clean and competitive fight, expressing disappointment that Portable chose to leave the ring before the bout reached its conclusion.
Portable, however, defended his decision, alleging that Okocha bit him on the back after he had knocked the actor down twice.
The singer maintained that he walked away because he could no longer tolerate Okocha’s conduct in the ring.
“I floored him twice, but he bit me at the back. I couldn’t stand it anymore, so I left the fight,” Persecondnews quotes Portable as saying.
The dramatic ending has triggered calls from fans for a third showdown between the celebrity rivals. However, organisers said no decision has been taken on whether another bout will be staged.
Portable had won the pair’s first celebrity boxing encounter, making Saturday’s rematch a keenly contested battle before it ended in controversy.
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