Martin Bakole recently took to social media to fire shots at Boxxer and Ben Shalom, blaming them for his inactivity. However, Boxxer founder Ben Shalom has now given a response to Bakole’s accusations when speaking to The Stomping Ground.
Martin Bakole fires shots at Boxxer
In a fiery online rant at Boxxer and Ben Shalom, Bakole said:
“For everybody asking what is happening with me. I am ready to fight anytime, but one man is trying to ruin my career: Ben Shalom. I don’t understand why he is doing it. He has been earning money from me for years and years and has kept me tied up in a contract. My lawyer has confirmed that my contract with him is finished.
“I try to move on, and he sends crazy emails to everyone, blocking me from fighting and earning a living. He is trying to scare me saying he will sue everyone if I fight and don’t pay him. I fight to provide for my family, not for Ben Shalom. He is not my promoter. I am ready to fight, but I will not pay that man another cent.”
Ben Shalom responds to Martin Bakole accusations
Speaking to The Stomping Ground, Shalom gave a vivid account of the fights that have been offered to Martin Bakole:
“I said, ‘One more chance, let’s do Hrgovic in August.’ I gave him a 750 grand purse, which again is ridiculous. He’s not ready with nine and a half weeks, 10 weeks notice. He’s not in the gym, and he’s not ready. He couldn’t accept the fight.
“Then Moses Itauma, one and a half million turned down. He talks about Hughie Fury, turned down. Justis Huni, money wasn’t enough. Guido Vianello, I said, ‘Martin has to be on this card. We were involved in putting that card together, and we wanted Martin on the card.’ And it was almost like, ‘Right, okay, whatever the opponent, let’s get him on the card.
“Then this all starts kicking off, this and that, and it just comes from nowhere, and as I say, the fact that he didn’t take the fight even when the Saudi’s and we said, ‘You know what,’ because I told them that he was going to be on the card. And Sela were like, ‘But you did say that he would be on the card.’ I said, ‘You know what? Pay him directly. I’ll deal with that. We’ll deal with the contractual issues, and he’ll get his full purse that way.’
“And the fact that they didn’t take the fight then, shows me he’s either not getting the information. That’s one, based on the thing,he’s got wrong information there saying that we blocked the fight, or he’s just not fit. There’s no other reason. And then so to receive all this again because of advice that he’s been receiving is mental.”
Regardless of who’s at fault, it’s a shame to see Martin Bakole inactive, and many will be hoping he can return to the form he showed against Jared Anderson.