Suspicious crime boss Daniel Kinahan – who broke the deal for Tyson Fury against Anthony Joshua – confirms he has not stepped away from boxing and is still involved in planning fights the world title while promising to continue his work in the sport
- Daniel Kinahan was the subject of a BBC Panorama review, with the television program broadcast last Monday
- Irishman Kinahan, who is based in the UAE, has hit back claiming innocence
- Kinahan was confirmed by Tyson Fury last year when she announced the deal to fight British heavyweight rival Anthony Joshua
Daniel Kinahan, a suspected crime boss who was once an adviser to Tyson Fury, has broken his silence and confirmed that he is still involved in organizing ‘world record fights’ in boxing and states that allegations against him are part of a ‘campaign’.
Last week, a BBC Panorama study said Kinahan was still involved in boxing despite a 2020 coup when it emerged he had helped deal with the contract between Fury and Anthony Joshua for Britain ‘s heavyweight division.
Involvement even led to calls from the Irish government to boycott the broadcast of the fighting over the connection to Kinahan, which is now based in the UAE.
UAE-based Daniel Kinahan (pictured) and suspected crime leader, was at the helm of the BBC’s new Panorama which says it is not a step away from boxing altogether
Tyson praised Fury Kinahan in June last year for dealing with Joshua in the future
In a statement issued to talkSPORT, Kinahan has complained about her innocence and vowed to continue her boxing work.
‘I’ve dedicated my work to boxing for over 15 years,’ he said. ‘I’ve started from the bottom and worked my way up. I am proud to say today that I have helped organize over a dozen major world title fights. I am still involved in designing many interesting and exciting title fights. ‘
Kinahan’s name was scrutinized by Fury in a video posted to social media in June last year when he announced that an agreement had been reached to fight Joshua.
The High Court in Dublin previously named Kinahan as a senior figure in an organized crime group involved in international drug trafficking and armed crime activity.
‘I was caught by Tyson Fury and his video and fell in that name you mentioned,’ Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar told parliament in June in response to comments from another party leader, Alan Kelly at Labor, about Kinahan being involved in the Fury-Joshua deal.
Addressing these allegations now, Kinahan said: ‘I strongly believe that my success has led to an increase in the campaign against me. A lot can be said about me, or be raised about me, and it goes unchallenged and hard to believe.
‘I can’t be clearer on the basic slur – I’m not part of any criminal group or conspiracy. I have no conviction. None. Not just in Ireland but anywhere in the world. ‘
Eddie Hearn says Joshua’s proposed fight with Fury is more than a drama around Kinahan
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar told parliament in June last year that he was surprised by Fury’s comments about Kinahan’s involvement in the contract to fight Joshua
Kinahan is one of the founders of MTK Global, a management company that represents Fury.
In June last year, Fury took to social media and said: ‘Just got off the phone with Daniel Kinahan. It’s just been told to me that the biggest fight in British boxing history has just been agreed. Shout out, Dan. He got this done, literally across the line. ‘
Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn said Kinahan’s involvement will not derail plans for the fight to go ahead.
‘No effect,’ said Hearn. ‘The fight is a lot bigger. It’s so great that this is the only thing that will be discussed in my opinion among the fans. Whether that’s the same for the media I don’t know.
‘Currently, the emails and phone calls are from Bob Arum and the Top Rank team and Tyson Fury. He is within his rights no matter who he wants. ‘