Show must go on for Kynoch at Turnberry
PROMOTER Sam Kynoch is hoping to get the presidential seal of approval as he prepares for a big night of boxing at Donald Trump’s Ayrshire hotel.
Sporting events all around the world are falling by the wayside due to the coronavirus but Kynoch is planning as normal for his boxing dinner at Trump Turnberry this Saturday night.
The boxer-turned-lawyer, whose stable includes Scotland’s first female world champion
Hannah Rankin, revealed the event has been given the goahead by boxing authorities.
And with fewer than 500 fight fans set to attend, it won’t fall foul of new government legislation either.
Boxers such as local favourite Calvin McCord have said they have no fears about performing in public, while hotel staff have been told by their famous owner to continue as normal for the time being.
Kynoch says he will be guided by the authorities as the week develops but for now the show goes on.
He said: “We’re planning for it being business as usual this week. I’ve been on the phone this morning to the British boxing board and there’s nothing from their end that could curtail my promotions.
“We’re trying to proceed as normal although we’re aware that it’s an everchanging landscape.
I know there’s talk of a limit of 500 people but I’ll be compliant with that at my Turnberry event.
“The boxers are all eager to get it on. Unlike other sports like football, if they don’t box, they don’t get paid.
“They work and sacrifice so much for each fight and spend a lot of money on training camps to be ready. If the fights don’t go ahead that’s a problem for them. So I know they’re all keen to keep going.
“We’ve just asked them to exercise caution with their health as we would ahead of every fight. And the same if they’ve sold tickets to elderly family relatives or friends.
“The hotel is operating as normal – they’ve not received any presidential orders to do anything different as far as I’m aware! I’m in regular contact with their staff too and hopefully nothing changes from their end.”