Controversial singer Habeeb Okikiola, widely known as Portable, is basking in the glory of his boxing victory over rival Darlington Okoye, aka Speed Darlington.
However, the defeated “Energy” crooner has attributed his loss in Saturday’s celebrity boxing clash to the alleged use of “juju” (charms) by Portable.
Portable took to his Instagram account on Saturday to revel in his triumph at the “Chaos In The Ring” event, sanctioned by the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control and held at the Balmoral Convention Centre in Lagos.
He posted celebratory messages, including, “Champion forever. I believe in (those) who believe in me. Na God dey run am. Orilomo,” and later, “Joy full my body, money don land.”
Portable secured victory via a technical knockout in the second round after Speed Darlington controversially refused to get up following the conclusion of the first round, abruptly ending their highly anticipated grudge match.
However, Speed Darlington has offered a different explanation for his defeat. In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) after the bout, he claimed that his shoulder inexplicably dislocated during the fight, despite him not feeling any significant fatigue. This led him to suggest that Portable might have employed native charms in the ring to sway the outcome.
Speaking in pidgin English in the video, Speed Darlington said, “I no know Wetin happen whether na juju wey Portable carry come, I never tire, my shoulder just dislocated.” Continuing in English, he added, “I felt it was because I was swinging wide. The ambulance on ground fixed my dislocated shoulder but I was told not to continue because it might lead to surgery. The painful thing now is the money given to Portable, he’ll go now and be lavishing the money. It’s painful I’ll have done my own Juju,” he lamented.
The celebrity boxing match was the culmination of a heated rivalry that had been escalating between the two musicians in recent weeks, marked by verbal jabs and even a physical altercation during their weigh-in on Friday.
This victory marks Portable’s second foray into celebrity boxing, following his win against Nollywood actor Charles Okocha in December 2023.
Prior to the fight, both singers had engaged in a war of words, with Portable boasting about his street fighting prowess and Speed Darlington vowing to bring a coffin for his opponent. The animosity reportedly stemmed from an incident where Speed Darlington offered Portable ₦500,000 to perform at an event, an offer Portable considered insulting.
The “Chaos In The Ring” event featured several other boxing matches involving both local and international fighters. In other notable bouts, Idowu Rasheed retained his UBO All African Light-Heavyweight title, and Ezra Arenyeka secured a unanimous decision victory in his Cruiserweight clash.
While Portable celebrates his victory and Speed Darlington nurses his dislocated shoulder and “juju” suspicions, the aftermath of this celebrity boxing clash is sure to continue generating discussion and debate among fans.
