Controversial street-hop singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has apologised to organisers and fans after abruptly walking out of his celebrity boxing rematch against actor Charles Okocha, following the opening round of their bout on Friday night.
The apology came hours after the highly anticipated celebrity boxing contest, organised by Balmoral Group, ended in anti-climax when Portable declined to continue after the first round, leaving fans at the venue disappointed.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his management, Zeh Nation/Dr Zeh, the singer apologised to the organisers, event crew, supporters and everyone who attended the event, describing the outcome as disappointing.
“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 management said.
It acknowledged the disappointment caused by Portable’s decision to leave the contest after the opening round but urged Nigerians to respect his choice.
“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.
The management accepted responsibility for the incident, saying it regretted the disappointment caused to 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,” it added.
It also commended the organisers for staging 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,” it said.
The statement assured fans that lessons had been learnt and promised an improved outing in future contests, saying, “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.”
Friday’s rematch had generated significant excitement after Okocha invoked the rematch clause following his defeat to Portable in their first celebrity boxing clash in December 2023.
Ahead of the encounter, both entertainers exchanged verbal attacks on social media and vowed to settle their rivalry inside the ring.
Portable also entered the fight hoping to bounce back after suffering his first celebrity boxing defeat earlier this year to content creator Carter Efe, while Okocha sought revenge for his previous loss.