BOXING telly giant BT Sport have distanced themselves from Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua talks due to the Gypsy King’s ties to an alleged crime baron.
And Irish Premier Leo Varadkar says it would be “entirely appropriate” for broadcasters not to show mega-fight organised by Dubai-based businessman Daniel Kinahan.
BT Sport have distanced themselves from Fury vs Joshua over links to Kinahan, right
Bob Arum has no problem with Kinahan’s involvement in the negotiations
WBC king Fury has thanked Kinahan – who has no criminal record – for helping to secure a 50-50 split over any potential fight with AJ.
The Twitter shout-out sparked worldwide interest in the previously low-profile broker, who is regularly in the spotlight in Ireland over his reported running of the Kinahan crime cartel.
Dublin MP Neale Richmond wrote to Sky and BT – who are expected to bid to show the Fury vs AJ match-up – to urge them to do thorough research on the set-up.
And the issue was raised in the Irish parliament and reports claim the Irish government has approached the UAE over having the fight mogul extradited.
A spokesperson for BT Sport said: “BT Sport is not currently involved in the Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua negotiations.
“Our broadcast agreement for the fights of Tyson Fury is exclusively with Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. We have had no dealings with MTK or any of their representatives for this fight.
“BT reviews all sports rights and broadcast deals with the appropriate levels of responsibility and scrutiny before deciding on a course of action.
“We cannot comment further on a potential fight which to the best of our knowledge is not confirmed, and which has not been offered to us.”
I think it would be entirely appropriate for sporting organisations or media organisations to have nothing to do with [Fury vs Joshua].
Irish Premier Leo Varadkar
Asked whether broadcasters should boycott the fight, Mr Varadkar said: “Certainly the authorities in the UAE know the situation and they know our concerns and problems with it.
“It is not a decision for me but I think it would be entirely appropriate for sporting organisations or media organisations to have nothing to do with this.
“They maybe don’t know the facts or don’t know the truth but they need to know them. I wouldn’t like to see them getting any attention at all given the circumstances.”
Fury’s co-promoter Bob Arum, however, has no problem with the fighter being advised by an alleged gangster.
The legendary 88-year-old matchmaker has joined world champs like Fury, Billy Joe Saunders and his trainer Ben Davison in defending his actions around the sport.
‘HONEST & RELIABLE’
Arum, a former federal prosecutor, said: “They don’t really speak on how he has acted when he has been involved in boxing, which is forthright, honest, reliable, etc.
“Boxing has been used by many people who’ve had questionable backgrounds.
“If they conduct themselves well, then they achieve a new type of attitude that people have to them because they’re nothing but forthright and honest.
“This is not unusual in boxing, where somebody comes in, has some questionable background in the past, and then goes into boxing, and then he is judged for how he acts in this sport.
“He has developed a great deal of trust with my company, myself and our people, and he certainly is a trusted confidant of Tyson Fury.”
“So obviously, his participation and his views were most significant than most important in getting this off the ground.”
Bob Arum has described Daniel Kinahan (right) as ‘honest and reliable’
A Criminal Assets Bureau affidavit in the High Court named Kinahan as the boss of the day-to-day drug trafficking operations of the Kinahan gang.
And the Sky Sports offices in Ireland have been targeted regarding their relationship with MTK Global, the management firm Kinahan co-created but has no current affiliation with.
But a string of high-profile and household names have come to his defence.
Respected trainer Davison, who was part of the masterplan that guided Fury back from the brink until they parted company before the Wilder rematch win in February, insists Kinahan is not getting enough credit for his work with grassroots boxing.
He wrote on Twitter: “Do you know how many fighters get abused through their careers?
“Add that with the amount of fighters mismanaged and never make it. Add that with the young fighters who give up because there’s no path or platform.
“What Daniel has done for boxing is phenomenal, fighters, coaches.
“Promoters are thankful to have this breath of fresh air to the sport with the way Daniel has worked and has proven to work.
“You can’t deny that, whatever you’ve read has led you to believe.”
Irish Labour Party leader Alan Kelly calls Daniel Kinahan ‘a very senior figure in organised crime on a global scale’ in question put to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Irish parliament
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
