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WBC, WBO, IBF junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor was one of the many fighters who at one time gave praise to alleged drug cartel leader Daniel Kinahan
Back in 2020, Taylor signed an agreement with management company MTK Global – which was co-founded by Kinahan in 2012.
At one point, MTK had claimed that Kinahan parted ways with the company, but Irish authorities were convinced that he was still very much a leading figure in the organization. He was adviser/manager for top fighters like Taylor, Billy Joe Saunders and WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury – who were all being repped by MTK.
Last year, Taylor said of Kinahan – “He’s a great advisor and doing great things for the sport.”
In April of 2022, the US State Department issued a $5 million reward for any information that leads to the arrest of Kinahan, who was being pursued for his alleged role in the Kinahan Cartel.
It only took a few days before MTK announced that their company was going to cease operations.
Taylor made it clear that Kinahan is completely out of the picture and has nothing to do with his career. The Scottish fighter is now being self-managed.
“I haven’t got a relationship with Daniel any more,” Taylor said to BBC Scotland. “MTK is no more, so everything is sort of out the window.
“I now manage myself, moving on with a lawyer doing all my contract and management work. Moving forward with Top Rank (his promotor), so yeah, that’s it.
“I’m not really clued up with any of the stuff that was going on. Obviously the stuff that has come to light has been pretty serious, but no, I’m focusing on boxing and it’s nothing to do with me.”