Ben Shalom

I remember signing Martin, um, and he couldn't get a fight and he couldn't get an opportunity.

And it was, it was very frustrating.

And, and people thought it was absolutely crazy for even bothering with the stress and the investment and everything with, with going down that route.

He was a bogeyman.

He was unavoidable.

Um, and from, from then to, to where we got to now and the huge opportunities that he's had and, um,

the opportunities that we've created with Turkey Al-Hashayk as well for him and the big nights he's had and the big names the big name he became in defeat but it was still a big name and when he swallowed the wasp and nearly died absolutely and yeah there's been a lot going on and to be honest we've always stuck by him and always supported him and always gotten those opportunities and equally when he's not trained and hasn't come in the shape that we'd expect him to come in as a professional athlete and you know

that creates criticism not just from the fans but also the organisers of the events and the co-promoters of yourself when you're pushing him and providing those fights.

It puts you in a very awkward position.

But we continue to do it and we've had fights turned down since and opportunities turned down since and people get involved as is the way in professional boxing that haven't been involved previously.

I believe it will resolve itself because it has to.

But yeah, very frustrating.

You get to a point where

You know, you do favors and you do this and you do that.

But ultimately, when you know you've done right and you've done everything and you've changed his life, let's be honest.

When I met Martin, he probably needed a new few quid.

Now he doesn't.

He's a multimillionaire living out dreams in the Congo with multiple businesses and.

And maybe, yeah, maybe those things are forgotten.

And so, yeah, I've got a lot of love for Martin Bercouli, always will do.