Portable says sorry to fans after quitting Okocha rematch early

Controversial street-hop singer, Habeeb Okikiola, known as Portable, has said sorry to fans and event organizers. He walked out of his boxing rematch against actor Charles Okocha after the first round on Friday night.

This apology came hours after the much-anticipated boxing match ended suddenly. Portable refused to continue after the first round, leaving many fans disappointed at the venue.

In a statement from his management, Zeh Nation/Dr Zeh, the singer expressed regret to the organizers, the event crew, supporters, and everyone who came out. He called the ending disappointing.

"We sincerely apologise to the organizers, 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 management said.

They acknowledged the disappointment from Portable’s choice to leave after the first round. They also asked Nigerians to understand his decision.

"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," they said.

The management took responsibility for the incident and expressed regret for the disappointment it caused stakeholders and supporters.

"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," they added.

They also thanked the organizers for hosting the event despite the controversial ending.

"We appreciate Balmoral Group and everyone involved for putting together a great event, and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused," they said.

The statement assured fans that lessons had been learned and promised a better performance 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," they said.

Friday’s rematch had created a lot of buzz after Okocha triggered the rematch clause following his loss to Portable in their first fight in December 2023.

Before this match, both entertainers had exchanged insults on social media, promising to settle their beef in the ring.

Portable stepped into the fight hoping to bounce back after losing his first celebrity boxing match earlier this year to content creator Carter Efe. Okocha, on the other hand, was looking for revenge for his previous defeat.

But the match ended unexpectedly when Portable decided not to continue after the first round. This led to a lot of reactions from fans and ended with a public apology from his management.