Martyn Ford has branded the 'Iranian Hulk' "embarrassing" after training footage emerged of his preparations for their boxing grudge match.
The British star is due to meet Sajad Gharibi on April 2 in a bout which has attracted attention due to the size and power of both men.
Ford's Iranian rival posted an Instagram video of his preparations which included wrestling three sparring partners while firing powerful close-range shots in a clinch.
After fans questioned the video, Ford has criticised his rival's content and is uncertain if it is a tactical ploy with their boxing match just a couple of months away.
“I was embarrassed, genuinely embarrassed," Ford told Mirror Fighting . "People ask me if this is a real fight or if this is some kind of WWE fight.
"And yes of course it is 100 per cent this is going off. He is either an absolute genius and is putting this content out to fool me that he is that bad. Or he was conceived too close to a nuclear experiment and his head isn’t right.
"Because there is something about that video and all of them I can’t grasp what he is doing. The contracts signed and the fights are real and he is putting out the content like that."
The 'Iranian Hulk' and Ford have documented their boxing journeys with neither man having competed in the boxing ring before.
Ford has an army of social media followers and has also featured in famous movies such as Kingsman: The Golden Circle and Fast and Furious 9.
With a rivalry that dates back to a failed meeting in 2018, the pair have frequently exchanged words on social media.
Most recently Ford's rival has claimed he is unable to sleep after he has thrown his power punches in an ominous warning.
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But the British star is unconcerned by the warning and has branded the Iranian star "useless" while vowing to make his "disgusting" words pay.
I just want to smash his head in," Ford continued. "It won’t give me any sense of achievement or pride to win, because I genuinely don’t think he will bring anything to the table that will allow me to be proud of myself.
"You can’t feel good about beating someone up that is useless. For me this is about settling some nonsense that has gone backwards and forwards for two or three years.
"The stuff that has been said from him and his camp and his fans, so I have just got to the point where I want to fight. I am not someone who takes trolling to heart, but there is a point where he has just gone to things that are disgusting and rude. If you want to step in to the ring, I’ll step up and I have never been afraid of confrontation."
