- Habeeb Okikiola and Speed Darlington are set to face off in a boxing event called ‘Chaos In The Ring’ at the Balmoral Convention Centre in Lagos.
- Habeeb Okikiola and Speed Darlington are set to face off in a boxing event called ‘Chaos In The Ring’ at the Balmoral Convention Centre in Lagos.
Nigerian music stars Portable (Habeeb Okikiola) and Speed Darlington (Darlington Okoye) lit up the atmosphere at the Balmoral Convention Centre in Lagos on Friday as they clashed during the weigh-in for the highly anticipated ‘Chaos In The Ring’ boxing event.
Unlike the other fighters who completed their weigh-ins with little incident, the two entertainers brought the drama to the stage. A heated exchange quickly escalated into a minor scuffle, prompting security to step in. Afterward, Portable thrilled onlookers with some aggressive shadowboxing.
In a defiant tone, Portable declared, “You better say you’re not fighting again. I just came out of prison, I’m a former prisoner, and they’ve cut my hair. It’s all the bad side of my life that they cut away. I have already won this fight.”
Brimming with confidence, the “Zazuu” hitmaker boasted, “I am a street fighter, and they (Balmoral) paid me money to beat you, so I will beat you. I am sorry in advance. If you think it is because I just left prison, forget that, I will beat you. You are a mosquito, and a mosquito can’t beat a lion.”
This isn’t Portable’s first brush with the boxing ring. He previously challenged heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua to a ₦100 million fight, deeming Speed Darlington an “unworthy opponent.”
Unfazed, Speed Darlington fired back with his own threats: “You can’t beat me, let’s go now! Nothing can happen. It is here that they will wipe your blood, just show up tomorrow. I will take your belt home with me.
“I will bring the coffin for you and bury you in it after I beat you. You can’t compare Charles to me, he is a father and he is old, no worry.”
Their feud reportedly intensified after Speed Darlington offered Portable ₦500,000 for a performance, which the latter saw as an insult.
Speaking at the weigh-in, Nigerian Boxing Board of Control Chairman, Rafiu Ladipo, underscored the importance of proper health screening. Citing the recent tragic death of boxer Segun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju in Ghana, Ladipo stressed that thorough medical checks must be conducted 24 hours before any professional bout.
The ‘Chaos In The Ring’ event, organized by Game Rush and Balmoral Promotions, follows successful editions in late 2024 and early 2025. It will showcase fighters from six countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, the UK, Egypt, Italy, and Tanzania.
Headlining the professional card is Nigeria’s Basit “Jokerboy” Adebayo, who will square off against Tanzanian boxer Suleiman Sheha for the WBO Youth International lightweight title.
Portable is no stranger to the ring—he previously beat actor Charles Okocha in a celebrity match last year, claiming victory after four rounds over a ₦40 million contract dispute.
With both artists passing medical checks and completing their weigh-ins, fans are gearing up for what promises to be an electrifying face-off in the celebrity boxing scene.
