Transcript: Interview with Martin Pugh

Edited transcript of an interview with Martin Pugh, one of boxer David Tua's managers, on Oct 10, 2003:

HERALD: What is the [$5m] worth of charges you consented to have put on the property up north, the Pakiri property?

MARTIN PUGH: Oh, I'd have to look through the records of that to find out what that's for.

HERALD: One of them's in the name of David Tua and the other is in the name of Sports Tech, a company registered in Vanuatu.

MP: I'd have to have a look at that.

HERALD: You don't remember? You signed the documents to put it [the charges] on, it was only a year ago, $5m.

MP: Oh, yeah, that's all part of the court case type thing, I can't really comment on this part. Do you want us to give our game plan away?

HERALD: No, I just want you to tell me who Sports Tech is and why they think they need to secure a position over the Pakiri property?

MP: I can't comment on these things. These are things that need to be resolved. We're going to court to protect our position and protect positions of everybody else involved.

HERALD: Who is ``our''?

MP: My, Kevin and David's position. Kevin's got a press release coming out anyway.

HERALD: Are you associated with Sports Tech?

MP: Oh, no. Don't be so ridiculous.

HERALD: What role does Monsta Entertainment play in all this?

MP: None.

HERALD: That's a separate company of yours?

MP: No role at all...this isn't the real story.

HERALD: They're just questions. You're the guy [who] signed the documents to put the charges on.

MP: I understand...I work for a lot of people as a consultant.

HERALD: So who is Richard Gregory? His name's associated with Sports Tech.

MP: He is the owner of Sports Tech.

HERALD: Is he a friend of yours or business associate?

MP: He's a customer of mine, a client of mine.

HERALD: He's got an interest in your other company, Monsta Entertainment.

MP: Has he? How much interest has he got in that?

HERALD: Don't you know? 25 per cent, according to the Companies Office.

MP: Are you sure about that?

HERALD: All I can go on is what the Companies Office records. And Sports Tech that you said you have no association with is listed as having 50 per cent of the shares in Monsta Entertainment.

MP: How much have I got?

HERALD: 25 [per cent]

MP: Aw, they've cheated me out.

HERALD: Oh, come on.

MP: You're going down the wrong road. Monsta Entertainment is an entertainment company that is getting into music and all that sort of stuff. And if you look in the Yellow Pages and do a few little simple things to check up you'll see Monsta Entertainment is involved in e-commerce, on-line Eftpos transactions for the bank. You'll see e-Monsta in there and then you'll see under entertainment, for management entertainment in the Yellow Pages, you'll see Monsta. It's the form to go into the music industry. But I'm happy for you to lead suspiciously down any road, you know what I mean, but try and do a little bit more work. (laughs) Don't try to...hey...look...I'm in a land deal with Tua, I'm in a land deal with other people, I'm in a land deal with this guy, I mean it's no different to any other financial person from the Eric Watsons and all them that you make money in packs. You don't make money singularly.

HERALD: I understand that. I thought Monsta might have done some entertainment package around promoting David Tua and so Tua's industry may owe Monsta money or something like that and then it would be secured.

MP: No, no. It's just a move to get into the music industry. We're changing our focus on our management company.

HERALD: So the Pakiri land, the ownership is David, you and Kevin, is it? Or is it just David?

MP: I'm not at liberty to discuss these facts with you.

HERALD: But you just said, `I'm in a land deal with David'.

MP: No, I said, `I'm in land deals with David, I'm in land deals with everybody else'. I mean which land deals I'm in is not...

HERALD: And you're not prepared to say what the ownership of the Pakiri land is?

MP: Of course not, no I'm not disclosing anything to you of a personal...It's just not part of the story. All of this is not part of the story, the real reason. You need to be focusing on the real reason today which is what Kevin's going to release as far as David Tua fighting and all of that. So you just need to hold back a little bit and you'll have the correct story.

HERALD: Well, what is the real story.

MP: It's going to be released to you. Kevin wants to handle and control that and I want Kevin to control it.

HERALD: Okay. Hey, is this guy another business partner of yours, Richard Booth

MP: He'd have to be. He's involved in an entertainment company with me.

HERALD: Monsta?

MP: Yes.

HERALD: So is Richard Booth and Richard Gregory the same person?

MP: Pardon...Yeah, of course. He changed his...[name].

HERALD: So it's the same person.

MP: Yes.

HERALD: So what's the real story?

MP: Hey, just hold back. Kevin doesn't want me talking to you guys because he knows I talk too much. I'm too friendly.

HERALD: Well you're more entertaining than most people I've met.

MP: (laughs) Yeah, I'll still give you some comments on it. But just let him release the bulk of it.

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