Habeeb ‘Portable’ Badmus and Carter Efe came within inches of settling their rivalry early when the two social media stars met face-to-face at a heated face-off in Ikeja, Lagos on Tuesday, with both men trading sharp words and needing to be separated by bouncers as over 50 fans gathered to witness the confrontation ahead of their May 1 celebrity boxing bout, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Portable, who arrived displaying spiritual charms (juju) to signal his confidence in the outcome, wasted no time making his intentions clear, drawing his thumb across his neck as he addressed his supporters directly.
“My fans, I will beat him, I will finish him,” he declared, his trademark energy drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
The Zazu singer, who has previously beaten both Charles Okocha and Speed Darlington in celebrity exhibition bouts, was so fired up that he attempted to start proceedings on the spot, forcing bouncers to intervene before things escalated beyond a war of words.
Carter Efe was equally combative, refusing to be intimidated and matching Portable’s aggression with his own brand of defiance.
“You, you this small thing. We will meet in the ring, and I will beat you,” he fired back.
When the bouncers stepped in to hold him back, Efe pushed against them, shouting, “Leave me, let me give him a taste here, leave me.”