Martyn Ford has claimed his fight with the Iranian Hulk was cancelled over "mental well-being" after the Iranian broke down in tears on National TV.
Ford and Iranian Hulk - real name Sajad Gharibi - were set to finally do battle on April 30 on a rearranged date in London, but the event was later cancelled with Ford suggesting his rival was to blame. However, Gharibi later hit back on social media by threatening legal action after the fight collapsed and demanded a new opponent.
However, Ford has given the clearest signal yet as to the reason for cancellation, responding to a fan on Facebook : "Concerns on mental well being and also health and safety risk involved with this match up." Gharibi had shown some concerning behaviour in the build-up to the fight having been angered as the pair came to blows during the opening face-off in Dubai.
Shortly after his return to Iran, Gharibi had worried fans with claims that he had "no coach" for the boxing clash and in the same message he made a "wish for death" after being condemned on social media for his actions. Ford revealed he had offered his Iranian rival the chance to pull out of the fight, which he responded to with a swift rejection.
During a press conference for the event, Gharibi claimed he had been training eagerly and had lost 30lbs in response to Ford's questions over if he was serious over their looming meeting. An interview on Iranian TV later emerged of Gharibi, who had burst into tears after claiming he had been disowned by his parents.
"I cannot call my family; when I returned [to Iran] I didn't go to my family," a tearful Hulk said. "I can't talk to my father and my mother, when I spoke to her, said: 'The person in this video that I saw was not my son, my son is way stronger than this'. It hurts my heart when I can't talk to my family.
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"I have lost my pride and I am destroyed. How can I explain? They deceived me and I fell to the ground. My family said that you will go there and finish him. They expected the other way around. How can I sleep or get any rest? I personally feel very bad and I cannot sleep but I am now taking sleeping pills. When a mum says that to her child, how can it be tolerated? There is a lot of pressure, if I got paid even one dollar to do that I can't continue."
Training footage also emerged of the star in the build-up to the fight with fans concerned that he would be "destroyed". However the fight will no longer take place with the entire card scrapped.
Ford will now look for a replacement opponent and fans have suggested that he steps in the ring with strongman Thor Bjornsson.
Mirror Fighting has reached out to Iranian Hulk's team for comment.
