Martyn Ford's claim that Thor Bjornsson was "too soft" for the ring backfired after the strongman defeated Eddie Hall.
Ford had vocally backed friend Hall to defeat Bjornsson in the boxing ring as they prepared to settle their grudge. However Hall was knocked down twice during a unanimous decision defeat to his rival in Dubai last weekend.
Ford had previously claimed Bjornsson had been too edgy in the fight build-up. “Thor has been very edgy the last two days," he told iFL TV before the fight. "Like I said before this fight, I was like, I think Thor is too soft. I think he has just not got that ‘(signalling energy).’”
However his prediction came back to haunt him after it became apparent that Bjornsson was comfortable in the ring, and he secured unanimous decision from the judges after the final bell.
The 33-year-old also scored two knockdowns in the fight, first sending his opponent to the canvas in the closing stages of the third period. Bjornsson later cemented his victory by dropping his opponent in the final round to ensure he left the ring with bragging rights.
Ford was present in the Middle East to support his friend who had been training for over two years to pull on a pair of boxing gloves. The build-up involved several exchanges of heated words and physical confrontations between the strongman pair.
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A second instalment of their rivalry has been called for by Hall, but he will be required to have a tattoo inked and make a charity donation to fulfil their pre-fight wager. Meanwhile Ford will enter the ring against Iranian Hulk next month in London.
He has emphasised his willingness to discuss a future boxing match with Bjornsson providing he progresses beyond his Iranian rival later this year. "I didn't think he was special, I didn't think he was great," he later told iFL TV. "He used his advantages; he was clever, he was composed, he kept his distance and used his jab a lot.
"It was a safe fight from Thor, he played it well and I'm just gutted for Eddie as a friend. I tell you what, I would take Thor 100 per cent, I don't know if I would knock him out but I would beat him. He's not venomous; there's no snap in the punch. I would back myself. If Eddie wants me to do it, I'd do it."
