Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Questions raised over Dundee fight night staged by firm linked to Irish crimelord Kinahan
LEISURE and Culture Dundee chiefs face questions over why a boxing firm linked to an Irish gangster wanted by the US government was allowed to stage an event at the Caird Hall.
Probellum – who have tried to distance themselves from Daniel Kinahan following his treasury sanctions – co-promoted Saturday night’s bill topped by local fighter Paul Kean Jr.
It came just three weeks after American officials announced sanctions against members of the Kinahan crime group and said the 44-year-old “is believed to run the day-to-day operations of the organisation”.
The move led to the closure of MTK Global, a boxing management agency co-founded by Kinahan, a well-known figure in the sport who has acted as an advisor to Tyson Fury and Josh Taylor.
It also placed scrutiny on Probellum, who promote several fighters advised by the Dubaibased cartel leader.
Last month Eurosport abandoned an agreement with Probellum to show five of its shows, dropping the remaining two amid scrutiny over the company’s links to Kinahan.
And legendary promoter Bob Arum, of Top Rank, said recently: “MTK have announced they’re out of business and I assume Probellum will soon follow as there’s not a network around any place in the world that will take a fight where Probellum is involved.”
Scottish Conservative shadow community safety minister Russell Findlay said: “A major broadcaster cut its ties with Probellum so questions must be asked about this boxing show in Scotland.”
A Leisure and Culture Dundee spokesman said: “We are looking into these allegations.”
The trademark for Probellum was registered in 2019 by MTK Global, formerly known as MGM before the threat of legal action from the Las Vegas casino giant forced a name change.
In March, Pakistani politician Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti tweeted pictures from a meeting with Kinahan and wrote: “Met @ probellum on aligning vision on boxing for Punjab and how to make this sport bigger for our youth.
“Looking forward to hosting Daniel in Lahore to discuss Pakistan’s first international fight with foreign world class boxers InshAllah. Will share more info in the upcoming weeks.”
Probellum’s head of talent relations Sam Jones was pictured alongside Kinahan in February.
He wrote said: “Always good seeing my friend Daniel. Great advice as always and brilliant for the sport.”
Since last month’s sanctions were announced, Jones has deleted several pro-Kinahan tweets.
Probellum addressed the situation shortly after US authorities offered a $5 million reward for information on the Kinahan gang that leads to the arrest and conviction of its leaders.
They said: “We take the sanctions made by the US Treasury extremely seriously and the business and its employees will be fully compliant with them.
“We have retained counsel in the US to ensure that we fully comply with all rules, regulations and requirements related to this matter, including not working with any individual or company that has been placed under US sanctions.
“This includes Daniel Kinahan and we can confirm that we will not have any business relationship or communication with him whatsoever.”
On April 15, the company’s CEO Richard Schaefer told the BBC: “(Kinahan) has advised some of the fighters who are promoted by Probellum, just like he has worked with many other fighters which are promoted by leading promoters around the world.
“But that was then, now is now.
The fact is he had at no point any interest whatsoever in Probellum.
“Each fighter is going to have to take a decision if he or she wants to continue to be advised by Mr Kinahan.
“I am certainly going to respect that decision but that fighter, irrespective of who he is or who she is, will have to respect our decision as well, which would mean that we would no longer be able to work with them.
“That is very clear. If a fighter has a business relationship with Daniel Kinahan, we will not promote him.”
Probellum’s co-promoter for Saturday’s fight night at the Caird Hall was Kynoch Boxing Promotions, founded by former MTK (Mack The Knife) employee Sam Kynoch.
The corporate lawyer – who has been pictured with Kinahan – established MGM in Scotland in 2015.
His biography on the Kynoch Boxing Promotions website says: “When MGM re-branded as MTK Global in 2017 Sam was appointed as group managing director.