Nollywood actor Charles Okocha and controversial street-pop singer Portable are set to reignite their rivalry on Friday (today) as they face off in a highly anticipated boxing rematch at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The bout, aptly tagged "Unfinished Business," follows their controversial first encounter, a result Okocha has repeatedly disputed, insisting the contest was unfairly ruled in Portable's favour.
After a series of heated face-offs, including an explosive final weigh-in earlier this week, both celebrities exchanged fresh verbal jabs, setting the stage for what promises to be another dramatic showdown.
Okocha, brimming with confidence, vowed to settle the score in emphatic fashion.
"I will be going against Portable, and it is going to be chaos. I promise, kill or be killed in that fight. It is not by noise and posturing. We will see in the ring," he said.
The actor added that although he had undergone rigorous training, his preparation extended beyond the rematch.
"I do not need to train to meet Portable, but I went to train to prepare for some fights ahead of me as well because Portable is removable," he stated.
Portable, renowned for his flamboyant personality and dramatic antics, lived up to expectations during the pre-fight events by knocking over a table while taunting his opponent and boasting about repeating his previous victory.
"You that I have beaten before, I will break your bones. Fight is coming," the singer declared, insisting he remained the superior fighter.
Organisers revealed that the celebrity boxing franchise has attracted more than two billion video views and generated over 4.2 billion digital impressions across previous editions, significantly boosting the profile of Nigerian boxing.
Event promoter Dr. Ezekiel Adamu described the contest as genuine "unfinished business," explaining that Okocha exercised his contractual rematch clause after claiming he was denied a fair outcome in their first meeting. Portable, he said, accepted the challenge without hesitation.
Beyond the headline event, fans will also witness another celebrity clash as entertainers Mr Real and Idowest settle their long-running dispute over the popular slogan "Legbègbe" inside the ring.
The event will also feature several professional bouts, including Yusuf Adeniji against Rilwan Lawal. Adeniji, who disclosed that he had spent more than three months in training camp, warned his opponent to brace for a difficult contest, while Lawal dismissed the warning, expressing confidence that he would emerge victorious.
Other professional contests on the card include Shiloh Defreitas versus Eric Quarms, Basit Adebayo against Said Chino, and Samuel Antwi taking on Suleiman Jafaru.
Adamu disclosed that EV Automobiles has donated two brand-new electric vehicles as prizes for the winners of both the Portable-Okocha and Mr Real-Idowest celebrity bouts, while Bet9ja has joined EV Automobiles as one of the headline sponsors.
He further noted that the promotion extends beyond entertainment, revealing that Okocha prepared for the rematch in London alongside rising heavyweight sensation Moses Itauma, world champion Daniel Dubois, former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and former world cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie.
"What we are doing is proper global storytelling. We are building champions here in Nigeria and Africa that belong to Africa," Adamu said.
He added that the event will blend boxing with music and culture, with artistes including Reminisce and Ice Prince accompanying fighters during their ring walks, while all competitors and crew members will appear in traditional African attire.
