Fury defends picture link with Kinahan

TYSON FURY has broken his silence on being pictured with alleged mobster Daniel Kinahan saying it does not make him “a criminal”.

Kinahan has had a $5million bounty placed on his head by the US government because of his alleged links to organised crime, and Fury has previously spoken about their relationship.

He thanked him on social media in June 2020 for helping secure a deal with Anthony Joshua, although the fight fell through, and he was pictured with him in February in Dubai.

Fury played down his association with Kinahan yesterday at his public work-out ahead of his WBC heavyweight title defence against Dillian Whyte at Wembley on Saturday.

“A picture doesn’t mean I am a criminal,” said the Gypsy King. “I can’t control who is in the building. There could be a criminal in this building now, it doesn’t mean I am involved in his criminal activity does it? It’s got nowt to do with me, has it?”

Fury also distanced himself from co-promoter Bob Arum’s admission he paid Kinahan for his past four fights.

The Top Rank chief is not in London because he has tested positive for Covid-19 and Fury said: “That’s Bob Arum’s business what he does with his own money, he can spend it all on gummy bears if he wants to.”

Fury’s other co-promoter Frank Warren, above, claims they did not know about Arum’s payments to Kinahan and stressed he has nothing to do with Saturday’s show.

The Queensberry Promotions chief said: “Let me make a couple of things very clear

– one, Daniel Kinahan has nothing to do with this show and, two, as Tyson said, he was unaware of any payments made by Top Rank to Daniel Kinahan.”

Kinahan denies any wrongdoing.

Warren also took a swipe at Whyte for his no-show yesterday as the challenger claimed his flight back from Portugal was delayed.

“I’m very disappointed he’s not here,” he said. “Apparently he’s stuck on a plane or whatever. What can I do, drive myself mad about it?”