Hi Dave, what did you expect to be doing this weekend?

I expected to be fighting for the Shidokan -65kg World Title and that has not happened has it?

No it hasn’t, Would you mind telling us in your own words what did happen?

What I believe has happened…. I believe that the Promoter Patrick went bankrupt about three days ago but still told all the fighters to come expecting them to fight for free and make some money back from ticket sales. The German Team and the French team had already left before we arrived leaving myself, an American fighter and a Brazilian fighter hanging around.

So you came all the way to Switzerland under the pretence of fighting for the Shidokan World Title, and when you got there you found out that the event had been cancelled.

The first we knew about it was when we got to the hotel lobby. They told us what was going on. The promoter didn’t pick us up from the airport. I believe that Dale (Adams) had spoken to him at eight O’clock the night before and he had said that everything was going ahead. At that time he had already told all of the other fighters in Switzerland that the event was probably not going to happen.

So what did you do?

We went to the event’s venue and tried to track him down. He was a pr*ck and lied to our faces. He tried blame various different people and changed his story every other minute. He wouldn’t compensate anyone for the expenses that they had incurred. He didn’t come to an agreement with anybody.

But as I understand it the Promoter of the event had told you to book your own flights. And you did so in good faith.

People had paid out money to get to his event, he was going to reimburse people when they arrived and he has not done that.

Has he promised to reimburse you at any time in the future?

I don’t believe he has promised anybody anything. He was not interested in helping anybody or doing anything to help us out. It’s not his fault or problem as far as he is concerned.

So do you feel like you have been deceived?

Well when you know that he went bankrupt three days ago and he is still telling people to come, telling them that he would pay them when they got there and he had no money to do it, yeah.

Aside from the money. You were supposed to be fighting for a World Title at the event. I take it that you have also spent a lot of time preparing for this fight.

Always. I was in good shape I was looking forward to taking the World Title home. It was a Title shot that I had earned by winning the European Grand Prix last year. To be honest it’s not really the money. I was looking forward to coming here to fight for a World Title and I am disappointed that it has not happened.

How has travelling all the way from England only to be stood up made you feel?

Pissed off, disappointed that I didn’t get to compete for the Title but mostly just stunned. I have never seen anyone behave like this. I’ve seen badly organised promotions but to have a man stand there who has invited you to come to his event and told you that he would pay for you to come then not take any responsibility. I cant believe anybody would behave like that!

Have you ever heard of anything like this happening before?

No, I’ve never heard of anything like this happening. Certainly not in a UK promotion anyway.

Finally, is there anything else you would like to add?

No, I think that is it.

Thanks for your time Dave