Controversial singer Habeeb ‘Portable’ Okikiola knocked out his rival, Darlington ‘Speed Darlington’ Okoye, in a highly anticipated celebrity boxing match tagged ‘Chaos in the Ring.’
The bout, held on Saturday morning at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, was the climax of weeks of heated online exchanges between the two entertainers.
Both artistes displayed commendable footwork and energy as fans cheered them on. In the fight to the finish, Portable displayed incredible boxing skills.
The two celebrities were seen throwing punches at each other as the controversial singer defeated his opponent by technical knockout. The fight has since left Darlington with an injured right wrist.
In the match’s viral footage, the duo traded blows in the opening round. However, the 31-year-old Portable claimed victory by technical knockout (TKO) after Speed Darlington failed to return for the second round.
The referee ended the bout after assessing that the ‘Baby Oil’ crooner could not continue, making Portable the undisputed winner.
Speed Darlington, whose right hand was visibly bandaged after the match, was seen being escorted out of the arena. Reports suggest he may have sustained a broken wrist during the encounter.
War Of Words Before Ring
The fight came on the heels of a dramatic online feud between the singers. In the lead-up, both men released provocative videos, boasting about their boxing prowess.
Portable described himself as a “lion” and mockingly likened Speed Darlington to a “mosquito.” At one point, organisers had to restrain Portable, who was in visible rage, from prematurely attacking his opponent during a pre-fight face-off.
Speed Darlington, on his part, issued grave threats, claiming he “would kill Portable, bury him in a coffin, and seize his championship belt.”
He urged fans to ignore the hype and let the fight prove who deserved the crown.
Shortly after the bout, Speed Darlington posted a video on Instagram thanking the event promoter, Adamu, for the opportunity.
“Last night, I was going in. This is my first time, his second time, and I’m very proud of myself,” he wrote.
In another clip, he refrained from showing the injured hand seen earlier.
The controversial singer also shared a video claiming his shoulder was dislocated during the match, even though he didn’t feel particularly exhausted.
He hinted that his opponent might have used traditional charms in the ring, which he believes played a role in the fight’s outcome.
Backstory
The feud escalated after Speed Darlington reportedly offered Portable ₦500,000 to perform at his show. Portable rejected the offer, mocking Darlington as “poor” and insisting that he charges ₦20m per appearance.
Things took a bizarre turn when Speed Darlington visited a coffin shop a day before the fight, allegedly to buy a “shiny” casket in a symbolic gesture aimed at his opponent.
Their rivalry dates back to May 2024 when Speed Darlington mocked Portable’s arrest over an unpaid balance on a ₦27 million Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon.
Darlington ridiculed the singer for trying to escape arrest by jumping over a fence and called him a “fake life” artiste. “I’m a star. Portable is not a star,” he later declared, drawing a line between them.
This is not Portable’s first time settling scores in the ring. In December 2023, he defeated actor Charles Okocha in a boxing match also borne out of a financial disagreement.
The match, organised by Heritage Boxing Entertainment at Landmark Beach, Victoria Island, lasted 40 minutes and ended in another win for Portable.
As with his bout against Speed Darlington, that clash followed online drama, with Portable accusing Okocha of embezzling ₦20 million from a joint deal.
