Martyn Ford can pinpoint the moment his life changed forever.
At 19, he set out on a routine walk to local stores with his mother; that is, a routine for any young person who does not suffer from mental health problems and struggles with anorexia.
“I collapsed in a charity shop,” recalls Ford, in an interview with the daily star.
“We were walking down the street and my blood pressure, everything, was at zero.
“That’s when I knew I needed to make my change. I told myself ‘I’m going to eat’. And I went home and almost force-fed myself.”
What had brought Ford to this point went deeper than irrational self-destruction.
Now 39, the bodybuilder nicknamed the ‘The scariest man in the world’ is currently preparing for his heavyweight boxing clash with the ‘Iranian Hulk’, Sajjad Gharibi.
(Image: @lukedonnellyfilms)
The term ‘heavyweight’ may not do it justice, with Ford, also known worldwide as an actor and social media influencer, seven feet tall and weighs 23 stone. His rival is almost a foot shorter, but weighs more than five stones.
But as a teenager, heavyweights and combat sports were anything but the priority. A star cricketer in the making, Ford joined Warwickshire at the age of 12. Seven years later, the promising fast bowler had secured a place at the ECB Academy and offers came in from Essex and Kent.
He rejected both. As he himself said, his heart was in Warwickshire.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder, then there are a number of steps you can take.
The charity for eating disorders Defeat It has information and support services for affected people, as well as for their families and friends.
Their help lines are open 365 days a year from 9 am to midnight during the week and from 4 pm to midnight on weekends and holidays.
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“I was told behind closed doors that it was a promising place to stay and that it was going to develop the way I wanted it to, and as a kid you put your heart and soul into what you loved to do,” he said.
“As a club, they had always been there for me.”
However, fate would soon deal Ford a cruel card. On a wet day over the Severn Bridge in Glamorgan, Ford was crashing into a bowl during a warm-up game and when he planted his left foot on the ground, it dug into the grass.
His right leg went the other way, resulting in what Ford described as a “horrendous” groin injury.
(Image: martynfordofficial/Instagram)
“You’re talking about 20 years ago now and things like recovery and rehab, they were just different back then. It was very much up to me to fund and I couldn’t get the right people or find the right rehab.”
“I couldn’t go back to training and then I got glandular fever at the same time. It was devastating to the soul. I went from being a lively, happy, energetic, bubbly person to having it all taken away from me in the space of two or three weeks.
“On top of that, I lost my grandfather, who was the first influential person I lost in my life and it hit me hard.”
His well-being was further skyrocketed when he developed an eating disorder, a notion that could be considered unfathomable for a man who now consumes up to 7,000 calories a day.
“Anorexia or bulimia, it was hard to tell which it was,” she admitted.
(Image: WireImage)
“It wasn’t a great place to be. I was nearly hospitalized, saw numerous doctors and nutritionists and it went on for six months.
“I had never been weak in my life and to have this vulnerability at 19 when I really should be driving forward was weird. I was struggling to get out of my mom’s living room, I was stuck in bed on the couch. Don’t come out From home.
“In fact, I didn’t want to leave the house and I didn’t want to function, so day by day I was getting weaker.”
Then came that notorious moment outside the charity shop, but despite the harrowing nature of the memory, the wickedly comedic element of what happened next makes Ford laugh.
Buoyed by her promise to change, he devoured baked beans, toast, eggs, nuts, and then some oatmeal, ignoring the fact that his stomach had inevitably shrunk and was no longer used to processing food.
“I remember eating it and my mom was so happy, then half an hour later I was sitting on the toilet and I was sweating, I couldn’t get the food down, it was horrible.”
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(Image: sajadgharibiofficial/Instagram)
“But it was one of those moments that I’ll always remember, because it was a turning point, the light had changed, it was like ‘okay, you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself now.'” I needed to find a new approach.”
Returning to a lower level of cricket didn’t appeal, but it evidently did progress him to become one of the most famous bodybuilders in the world. He had felt abandoned by Warwickshire and was drawn to embarking on a new solo adventure.
“I wanted to do something where I didn’t need other people. For bodybuilding, all I needed was headphones and a gym.”
To dismiss Ford as a muscular man borders on utter ignorance. Behind the seismic frame, the tattoos, and the infamous nickname, lies a philosophical and intriguing character.
He is a loving husband and father. He is obsessed with chess. He is a firm believer in varied experiences. His preparation for Gharibi focuses as much on movement and tactics as it does on powerful strikes. And he laments the modern habits of the younger generation.
“When we were younger, we hated winter because the power went out earlier and mom and dad used to call us,” she reflects.
“There are so many distractions in the world today that we forget the basics. We need to shake children up and as adults who are in a position of influence, we need to show them that there is more to life than just sitting at a computer and trying to look pretty for Instagram, or TikTok, or Youtube.
“We need them to be kids again and that’s something I’m deeply passionate about. The mental health of not just this country, but the world, is going down the toilet and there are many reasons for it, but I’m a big believer that a great help can come from physical fitness.
It’s a notion that has undoubtedly given Ford the ‘big helping hand’ he speaks of.
His fight with Gharibi, promoted by Boxstar Celebrity Boxing, occurs on April 2 at the O2 Arena and he does not anticipate many difficult moments in the night.
Mind you, if he finds himself momentarily on the ropes, it won’t be any worse than anything he’s overcome before.
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