Boxing promotional heavyweights MTK could fold as soon as TODAY

Boxing management powerhouse MTK has confirmed that it will cease operations following ‘unfair scrutiny’ since the US Government sanctions on alleged cartel boss Daniel Kinahan.  

MTK, which includes 200 fighters, will stop its operations at the end of the month after leading promoters have decided to severe ties with the management company and all of its fighters.

The statement read: ‘As a business we have faced unprecedented levels of unfair scrutiny and criticism since the sanctioning by the US government of Daniel Joseph Kinahan.

‘It is a matter of public record that Mr Kinahan’s involvement in MTK ceased in 2017, and despite repeated reassurances in this regard, unfounded allegations about his ongoing association with us and our fighters persist.

‘Since leading promoters have now informed us that they will be severing all ties with MTK and will no longer work with our fighters, we have taken the difficuly decision to cease operations at the end of this month.

‘MTK prospered because we always put the long term interest of our fighters at the heart of what we do.

‘Our priority in the weeks ahead will be to ensure that our world class boxers are supported to find new partnerships as swiftly as possible. 

‘MTK gyms are operated independently so will remain open for the foreseeable future. Further announcements will be made in due course.

‘Thank you to all the fans who have supported us over the last decade.’ 

Kinahan co-founded MTK in 2012 before apparently severing ties in 2017 – only for American promoter Bob Arum to claim last week that the Irishman is ‘100 per cent’ still involved in the running of the company, contrary to MTK’s repeated assertions.

Arum says Kinahan remains involved with MTK despite the company distancing themselves

Despite its rapid rise, and accompany protestations, MTK has been probed on its links to Kinahan for a number of years, particularly after he was named in the Irish High Court as a controller of the Kinahan Cartel in 2018. 

That escalated drastically with US involvement last week, with the company CEO Bob Yalen resigning suddenly on Tuesday, citing ‘the pressure’.

That was followed by Sportsmail’s report that promotional company Probellum have ordered their fighters to sign a declaration that will no longer have any association with MTK or Kinahan. 

Arum has already previously said that his Top Rank company will not deal with MTK in future.

MTK is one of the largest boxing management companies in the world, and names Tyson Fury as one of its fighters, though the heavyweight world champion appeared to claim on Tuesday that he has not been part of their stable since 2020. 

He was still listed on their website as of Wednesday morning.

Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has distanced himself from links with Daniel Kinahan 

On the back of the US Government placing a $5m bounty on Kinahan last week, MTK Global, who in 2021 branched into football, released a statement distancing themselves from the alleged gangster. 

It read: ‘MTK parted ways with Mr Kinahan in February 2017. He has had no interest in the business since then and will have no future involvement with us.’

But Bob Arum responded via the Irish Mirror: ‘I know for a fact from some of the stuff he did that it was his company, whatever the books said.’