Iranian Hulk has admitted he turned down a lucrative bodyguard job worth £180,000-a-year in Dubai over fears of being homesick.
The 30-year-old - real name Sajad Gharibi - is currently preparing to make his boxing debut against Martyn Ford in the UK on April 30. He recently travelled to Dubai to complete media duties for the event where he clashed with Ford and was 'sent flying' during an angry confrontation.
Gharibi has insisted he will never leave his homeland despite claims he will move to the UK as a refugee. "Since 2016 I have had many job offers from Dubai in body guarding, especially when I was heavy as they offered me $20,000 a month - but I didn't want to go," he said during an interview on Iranian national TV.
"Firstly I must die if I endanger Iran's reputation, Iran is my life and blood. I was sick in Dubai because I was so far away from Iran. Iran is my love and life, I was born in Iran and will die here. I can't think of living anywhere other than Iran. Some say 'you want to immigrate to England and become a refugee' but it doesn't make any sense."
Gharibi is currently unable to travel to the UK until fight week but will face Ford at The O2 arena after the date was rescheduled from April 2 due to injuries on the card. He first came face-to-face with Ford in the Middle East where his rival questioned his desire to compete due to his current shape.
The Iranian star angrily responded and lost his cool by throwing a tub of popcorn and threatening to "kill" his rival during a tense moment on stage during a press conference. He later sent Ford a message on social media demanding further confrontation after turning up to his hotel.
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Doubts have crept in surrounding Gharibi's readiness for the fight after he posted a worrying message on social media, which also suggested he had no trainer for the showdown. The upcoming boxing debutant has also claimed that his parents have disowned him since his antics at the press conference came to light.
"I cannot call my family; when I returned [to Iran] I didn't go to my family," Hulk said while bursting into tears. "I can't talk to my father and my mother, when I spoke to her, said: 'The person in this video that I saw was not my son, my son is way stronger than this'.
"I personally feel very bad and I cannot sleep but I am now taking sleeping pills. When a mum says that to her child, how can it be tolerated? There is a lot of pressure, if I got paid even one dollar to do that I can't continue."
