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Celebrity actor and boxer Charles Okocha has stepped up preparations for his highly anticipated rematch against street-hop singer Habeeb “Portable” Badmus by training alongside unbeaten heavyweight sensation Moses Itauma ahead of their July 31 showdown in Lagos.
The rematch, billed as the headline event of Chaos in the Ring 4, comes after Portable secured a unanimous decision victory over Okocha in their first meeting, prompting the actor to invoke the rematch clause.
Okocha shared clips of his workout with the British-Nigerian heavyweight on social media, introducing Itauma as “the champ” as he fine-tunes his preparations. Portable has also intensified his own training camp, working under the guidance of WBA Africa lightweight champion Taiwo “Esehpo” Agbaje in Sango Ota.
Itauma, one of boxing’s fastest-rising heavyweight prospects, boasts an unbeaten professional record of 13 victories, including 11 knockouts. Born in Kezmarok, Slovakia, to a Nigerian father and Slovakian mother before relocating to Chatham, Kent, with his family in 2008, the 29-year-old currently holds the WBO Intercontinental heavyweight title and is ranked No. 1 by both the WBA and WBO. He is scheduled to face Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic at London’s O2 Arena on August 29.
Balmoral Group Promotions Chief Executive Officer, Ezekiel Adamu, confirmed that the rematch was arranged after Okocha formally exercised the contractual clause following a heated press conference at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, which ended in a physical confrontation between both fighters.
“They fought before. Charles wants a rematch. He activated a rematch clause. So, we expected that, and we will make it happen,” Adamu said.
The rivalry has continued to intensify ahead of the bout, with Portable warning that he intends to dominate the contest once again.
“You that I have beaten before, I will break your bones. Fight is coming,” the singer declared during the pre-fight media event.
Okocha, however, insisted that their first contest did not reflect his true ability and vowed to produce a different outcome.
“Let me tell you something, I will kill you in the ring. I am fearless,” he said.
“We will see who the man is on the 31st of July. Everyone knows the first one was not a real fight, but this time it is the real deal.”
Beyond the headline clash, Agbaje will face South Africa’s Ayabonga Sonjika after a series of opponent withdrawals. The Nigerian champion said he is fully prepared for the contest and aims to secure victory before the final bell.
The event will also feature a rematch between street-pop artistes Mr Real (Okafor Victor) and Idowest (Adekunle Idowu), whose long-running online rivalry erupted during the recent press conference. Fans will also witness WBO Africa cruiserweight champion Godday Appah defend his title against Lekan “The Engine” Muibi, while Rilwan Lawal takes on Yusuf Adeniji.
Adamu confirmed that Chaos in the Ring 4 will be broadcast globally on DAZN, with additional coverage on local television channels, while spectators will also be able to watch the action live at the venue.
