Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
‘CARL IN THE DARK ON $850K FIGHT FEE’
Court told of Santa Cruz payment row
CARL Frampton was allegedly kept in the dark over $850,000 received for his final fight under ex-manager Barry Mcguigan’s guidance, the High Court heard yesterday.
Counsel for the former world champion also accused Cyclone Promotions of a betrayal of trust and setting up a “parallel structure” of bank accounts as part of attempts to conceal profits from the boxer.
But one of Mr Mcguigan’s sons categorically denied all claims of hiding or deliberately delaying any payments to Mr Frampton.
Blain Mcguigan said: “He knew me as his promoter, we were friends throughout, had a very good relationship and discussed pretty much every detail of every show.”
His father and Mr Frampton are at the centre of a high-profile multi-million pound legal battle.
The Belfast boxer has taken his oneterm mentor and the Mcguigan family’s Cyclone Promotions to court for alleged withheld earnings.
Mr Frampton is being counter-sued for breach of contract by ending their partnership in 2017. Both men deny the allegations against them.
On day 19 of the case musician turned promoter B la in Mcguigan was challenged about how the fighter was paid for his world title fights against Leo Santa Cruz. In July 2016, Mr Frampton defeated the Mexican in New York to become WBA featherweight champion.
The court heard he was still waiting for payment for that contest by the following January when he lost the rematch in Las Vegas. Mr Frampton’s wife Christine and trainer Shane Mcguigan were also said to have rowed in the aftermath of the defeat.
The boxer’s newly-appointed Belfast accountant then contacted Cyclone to relay his concern and annoyance at the money situation.
Stressing the plan was always to pay Mr Frampton as soon as they returned from the US, Mr Mcguigan said he was shocked at the alleged threat of legal action in the accountant’s intervention.
He added: “It was more to do with [his] approach in the immediate aftermath of Vegas, where obviously his client had lost.”
Mr Frampton subsequently received a net $653,000 payment for the second Santa Cruz bout, but claims he should have got more.
It also emerged emails relating to Mr Frampton’s bouts have been discovered in Cyclone’s archives.
Despite Mr Mcguigan remaining under oath, Mr Justice Huddleston gave permission for his senior counsel to take instructions on the issue. The hearing resumes on Monday.