Amateur boxer Majembe, also known as Portifas Odipo, has officially pulled out of the Vurugu 2.0 boxing event just days before it was set to take place. The event, organised by media personality Oga Obinna, had been scheduled for June 20 at the Sarit Expo Centre in Westlands. Majembe’s withdrawal has drawn attention in Kenya’s growing celebrity boxing scene, where entertainment and sport continue to intersect. His exit comes after he was originally listed among the headline fighters for the second edition of the event. The development has raised questions about contract management and communication between fighters and organisers.
Majembe had previously headlined the first edition of Vurugu in April, where he faced Mbavu the Destroyer in an amateur bout. He won the fight in the fourth round through a technical knockout, although the match attracted some controversy after his opponent claimed he was hit below the belt. Despite the complaint, the result stood and Majembe was declared the winner, earning both recognition and financial rewards, reportedly around KSh 1 million. His performance helped boost interest in the Vurugu brand and positioned him as one of the standout names in the event series. Expectations were therefore high when he was announced for the second edition.
The situation changed when contract negotiations for Vurugu 2.0 began. Majembe explained that discussions with Oga Obinna broke down due to disagreements over contract terms. He stated that communication mostly took place over the phone because of scheduling challenges on both sides. According to him, he was presented with a contract that contained clauses he could not accept. He further claimed that tensions escalated during discussions, eventually leading to his removal from the fight card. Majembe said the disagreement made it impossible for him to continue preparing for the bout.
In his remarks, Majembe suggested that the breakdown in communication became personal and affected how negotiations were handled. He claimed that Obinna blocked him during discussions, which made it harder to resolve the issues. He also said that he had already started training for his scheduled fight against Somali boxer Sabir Muhdin before the deal collapsed. The removal from the event came shortly before the official fight date, leaving little time for adjustments. Despite the frustration, Majembe maintained that his concerns were based on contract fairness and not personal conflict. His comments highlighted ongoing challenges in managing athlete agreements within entertainment-driven boxing events.
Majembe also addressed questions about financial expectations, including whether he would have earned more than his previous payout. He chose not to disclose details about the proposed earnings for Vurugu 2.0. Instead, he focused on explaining why he felt the agreement could not proceed under the existing terms. He stated that speaking up for himself should not be viewed negatively, even if it led to his removal. His position reflects a broader issue faced by amateur athletes navigating high-profile promotional events with limited representation.
Despite the fallout, Majembe indicated that he remains open to working with Oga Obinna in the future. He did not rule out a return to the Vurugu platform under different conditions. His withdrawal leaves uncertainty around the scheduled bout he was set to contest against Sabir Muhdin, which now appears unlikely to proceed as planned. The incident adds another layer of attention to the Vurugu boxing series as it prepares for its second edition. It also highlights the importance of clear agreements in ensuring stability in emerging sports entertainment events.
