“I’m not a world-level superstar, but I’m a fighter who never quits,” Martin Hillman says, with such believable determination that his unusual career moves suddenly make sense.
Just days before his October 25 date with destiny, the unassuming boxer from Orpington, Bromley, will take a seven-hour flight to Ghana, followed by a five-hour cross-border bus ride to their destination within Togo.
Hillman isn’t visiting the sprawling coastal capital of Lomé for a leisurely stroll around Wli Agumatsa Waterfalls or the intriguing Akodessewa Fetish Market. Instead, he’s primed for a bout on the latest “Togo Turf War” bill.
“It’s been a bit of a mad one. You wouldn’t believe me if I made it up,” he agrees.
“The fight was originally meant to be in the UK. It all got approved with the Commonwealth Boxing Council and the British Boxing Board.
“Unfortunately, the opponent was denied a visa by the Home Office. So, obviously, he can’t get into the country. That was disappointing as it’s for a Commonwealth silver title, which I really wanted to try and win.”
If nothing else, the Commonwealth title’s lesser-known sibling can be used as a launchpad to greater opportunities. Unwilling to let this chance slip by, Hillman took matters into his own hands and began searching for alternatives to keep the fight alive.
Having previously taken a cross-continent flight to box in Ghana last year, scoring a 10-round points win over Baraka Mchongi, Hillman reached out to the same promoter who organised that March show to see if he was interested in picking up the pieces.
He was interested, but with everything signed off, agreed and seemingly ready to go, there was to be another twist in the tale. Fight night was fast approaching when two devastating ring tragedies led the Ghanaian government to suspend all boxing in the country until further notice.
“Flights and visa were done, everything was ready to go,” laments Hillman, who had to be quick on his feet with a third option.
“Because there were a lot of boxers on it, we decided to move the whole show across the border into Togo. It’s a long journey.”
The entire journey will be more than worth it if Hillman wins and becomes a history-maker. Togo has never held any form of Commonwealth-approved contest before and no British pro has graced the ring there.
“It actually took a lot of back and forth with the Commonwealth Boxing Council for them to sign it off.
“They had to check the safety and standards and ensure there would be the right officials there and stuff like that.
“I know it’s their silver belt, not the full one, but I’m so motivated to win. I think it’s a good achievement in itself, but it also opens the door.”
Any door opening would be a bonus for Hillman, who has traversed the weight classes in search of possibilities. So much so that he even holds a Tanzanian bantamweight title in the trophy cabinet.
This one will take place at his more natural super-bantamweight limit, nowhere near the 130 pounds he weighed when ticking over against last-minute replacement Ricky Leach at Tolworth Recreation Centre in February.
“I’ve been up and down throughout my career and have been in about six different weights since turning pro. That’s the way it goes,” concedes Hillman, whose family holds a long, proud boxing history.
Back in Togo, opponent on the night will be Anwary Twaha, a 25-year-old Tanzanian with a 10-0 record, eight wins by knockout. While that looks intimidating at first glance, Hillman’s promise to “jab his head off” seems more realistic when the magnifying glass is applied to Twaha’s slate.
“Some of his record looks padded to me, but there are some credible wins on there, too. I’m guessing he’s gonna be really strong and powerful. He’s a massive favourite, but my manager, my trainer, my dad and that, we really feel confident of beating him.”
Having completed the 10-round distance on multiple occasions, enjoying tear-ups with the likes of Boy Jones Jr and Paul Roberts across a 12-year career, Hillman believes fitness and experience will play a huge factor.
This is just one of the reasons the Bromley boxer battled to keep the bout alive, originally believing he would be returning to Ghana, a place he holds so many fond memories of.
“It was an amazing experience. It was actually at the Bukom Arena, which is a 7,000-seater open-air stadium. Amazing venue, best place I’ve ever boxed.
“It was such a big show because their Independence Day was the next day. Even though I boxed on a Tuesday night, it was like a weekend for them.
“The area of Bukom, which is a small place in Accra, has produced 10 world champions on its own. Azumah Nelson was in the crowd as well. I saw Azumah there, but I couldn’t get near him!”
“I was coming off a loss and sort of fitted the bill. That’s how I got it. This next one, I pushed more myself to make happen. I don’t know what the arena in Togo is going to be like, but they are getting an A-star referee from Ghana to do the fight, as well as a supervisor.
“They’re both very experienced. The Commonwealth have insisted on that because they haven’t worked with the Togolese federation before.”
The last time Hillman ventured to West Africa, he had some recognisable faces for company. Tony Bange, Prince Patel and Robert Lloyd-Taylor Jr were all involved in the Ghana adventure.
This time, Martin’s dad, trainer Sam Latham and Moroccan-born manager Joe Elfidh will provide the motivation and support. The travelling Englishman will be in fine fettle, despite working as a full-time car mechanic, which means training is often fitted in around daily labour.
“I’m co-trained by my dad, who’s an ex-boxer and licensed coach, and I go to Sam a few days a week. He’s a great trainer, but the gym’s moved a bit further away; it’s right down in Kent now, so I can’t get there every day. Joe Elfidh manages me and that’s how I’ve had a couple of African adventures.”
Regardless of what happens on the night, now aged 34, Martin Hillman is determined to make and take chances wherever he can find them. Checking off the historical Togo tick box is one thing, but featuring in the hallowed pages of the sport’s trade magazine is another item on the bucket list.
“Boxing News is why I started boxing, actually. It’s special to me as my dad’s subscribed to it for years. I just picked it up at age 12 and started looking at it, and was like, I want to do that.”
