We Need to Talk About Boxing

Writes Sam Curtin, Deputy Sports EditorWelcome to the biggest story in sport right now.This might be an unusual way to start an article as for many, boxing and Daniel Kinahan are not topics discussed over the dinner table or Zoom. This story however is bigger than boxing.Who is Daniel Kinahan? He is a man born and raised in Dublin who has managed to become one of the biggest playmakers in the sport of boxing, organising over 20 world title fights. He founded MTK Global and has become one of the biggest and most powerful management companies in the sport and represents over 30 fighters from Ireland alone (over 100 altogether). MTK CEO Sandra Vaughan insists that Kinahan is no longer involved with the organisation but according to a statement released by Talksport last week, he is still involved in making some of the biggest fights in boxing.The moment which really raised eyebrows was when Tyson Fury announced via Instagram that he had just gotten off the phone with Daniel Kinahan, confirming the decision of a fight with fellow British boxer Anthony Joshua; which would be the biggest fight in world boxing.Kinahan however is widely believed to be the head of the largest crime organisation in Irish history and has been involved in the largest Irish gangland feud with the Hutch cartel. A feud started by the Regency Hotel shooting in 2016 at a boxing weigh in and the main reason why no major boxing event has taken place in the Republic since. It is a feud which has ruined hundreds of lives both internally and externally, destroying towns in the process with many people, particularly young men turning to crime as they see it as the only way out of poverty, caused by the gangs themselves. As of now, Daniel Kinahan has no convictions in any country and has not been arrested or faced any trial.Why would so many boxers join forces with a man with so many asterisks beside his name? MTK are a company known for financially supporting their fighters, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet. They also do not take management fees and instead make their money off the fights themselves such as through gate receipts and so forth. Kinahan has reiterated that he is not involved with the company but merely acts as an advisor to fighters.One could argue that the sport itself is arguably in a bad place. The amateur scene has been plagued by bribery and corruption as witnessed during the 2016 Rio Olympics and was barely allowed into the Tokyo Games. If one was to ask a stranger or even a sports fan on the street and ask them to name an active boxer outside of Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Katie Taylor, it would be a difficult question to answer. The sport lacks household names to match previous generations such as the Chris Eubanks, Mike Tyson’s and Floyd Mayweather’s of this world as polarising as they were. Hence why the Joshua-Fury fight is so critical for propelling boxing back into the mainstream.It causes huge problems for broadcasters such as Sky and BT Sports who will not want to be associated with a fight where millions of its revenue will be going to an individual hiding in Dubai who is allegedly the head of an Irish crime mob. Journalists such as Kieran Cunningham and Nicola Tallant who have been covering this story since the beginning have been disappointed with the lack of support among the boxing community for the BBC Panorama documentary aired two weeks ago. Barry McGuigan was the only prominent figure willing to be interviewed for the programme and suffered a huge backlash after the show aired. Many boxers such as two weight world champion Amir Khan have declared their support for Kinahan while many others have stayed silent out of fear for their livelihoods if they were to speak out.This is before mentioning that boxing has begun to stage some of its biggest fights in countries such with appalling human rights records. Take the Joshua vs Ruiz rematch in 2019 for example, which took place in Saudi Arabia. Eddie Hearn has already confirmed that at least one Fury-Joshua fight will also take place in the Middle East. ‘Sports washing’ is the term used in nation states using sport as a means of legitimacy and providing an alternative view of their regime through sporting prowess.Now more than ever, in the world of fake news and cancel culture, boxing faces a fight for its credibility, future and most importantly, safety. Yes, Tyson Fury versus Anthony Joshua is enticing for even the most casual of fans but at what cost? There has to be a desire from broadcasters, fans, and those within the sport to ensure transparency and legitimacy for a craft which has transformed lives for the better and can continue to do so. Only however, by weeding out those who are in it for the wrong reasons. Will this happen?Money talks. As always.