Martyn Ford is a well known fitness influencer, actor and body builder. He was also set to make his boxing debut April 30th on a celebrity boxing card. The promotion in question appears to no longer be in play when it comes to Ford’s boxing. During the cancellation announcement Ford explained he was no longer going to be on the card at all and offered refunds for his fans.
Ford confirmed:
“This is a statement I didn’t want to have to realize but unfortunately April 30, my fight is going to be postponed.”
“The event is still on, it’s just my fight. The event will still go ahead and there are some great people and fights on.”
“Unfortunately mine won’t be one of them, for reasons out of my control. It doesn’t take a genius to figure them all out.”
“I don’t want to go down the route of talking about it; too much time and energy has been wasted.”
“I’m still training hard, there will be a debut. there will be a fight, I’m just not 100 per cent sure who, when or why, but it will happen.”
Ford is 39 and has been looking forward to jump starting his celebrity boxing career. He’s likely to face Hafthor Bjornsson in future. And unlike Gharibi’s physique, Thor’s might actually be able to match his.
Gharibi disputes the claim that he’s to blame for the match cancellation – and is still willing to meet an unknown opponent at the April 30th card.
But the interest the Iranian Hulk mess generated is helping Ford’s career bigtime. Earlier today he announced a huge change in his career.
” HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT…
Anyone who knows me, knows how much work I’ve put into training ahead of my debut fight which is now not going ahead. My passion and hunger for the sport grew with every training session and I truly immersed myself in the sport, surrounding myself with top fighters and learning every day so when a chance opportunity came about to meet the most powerful man in the sport, Daniel Kinahan, it was a no-brainer for me.
He saw my hunger, my desire and my want to become better, we share a very similar energy, hunger and passion and are both extremely goal driven for reasons far beyond money or fame. A spiritual energy that pushes us on to become more.
Anyone who knows boxing, knows just how integral this man is, and his passion for the sport, he works with every promoter in the game and literally every fighter I spoke with told me he was the man I needed to speak to if I wanted to take this seriously.
We’ve talked in length and started working on a plan and I’m delighted to share that I have signed an advisory deal with him where he will help shape my path in boxing and guide me in the right direction and I’m truly excited about what’s to come. Together, we mean business.
And the new…”
The man Ford tagged in the announcement is the infamous Daniel Kinahan. Kinahan’s own wikipedia identifies him as an Irish gang boss and boxing promoter. Kinahan was at a center of a fan conspiracy theory tied to Conor McGregor. The theory dictates that McGregor’s pub is a front for Kinahan’s crime family unsavory business. This theory originated when The Black Forge Inn was attacked by a petrol bomb back in January of this year. This theory is largely unsubstantiated. What’s substantiated is that Kinahan is definitely a part of the illegal substances trade. He’s banned from entering the US and placed on the ‘narco terrorists’ group as far back as 2019.
In February 2021 BBC Panorama broadcast a report on Kinahan’s involvement in boxing.Barry McGuigan spoke of intimidation in boxing. Daniel Kinahan denied the allegations.
Tyson Fury severed the relationship he had with Kinahan back in 2020 according to promoter Bob Arum.