A boxing firm has denied that Daniel Kinahan is working for it after a Pakistani politician named it on social media alongside pictures of him and the Irish drug baron.
Kinahan’s sportswashing attempts continued in his Dubai bolthole over the weekend as he met with Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti, the Provincial Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Government of Punjab in Pakistan.
He was presented with a gong by the politician, who appeared to link Kinahan to the new boxing promotion firm Probellum.
Read more: Daniel Kinahan all smiles as he poses for pics with Pakistani minister
Bhatti tweeted: “Met @probellum on aligning vision on boxing for Punjab & 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.”
However, Probellum has denied that Kinahan – who runs a drugs and arms cartel worth an estimated €1billion – is employed by the company.
When asked does Kinahan work for Probellum, a spokesperson said: “No.”
They did not provide an on-the-record response when we asked why the politician cited them while referring to a meeting with Kinahan.
On Monday, Bhatti then tweeted his thanks to the fight firm for hosting him in Dubai but added: “Also, separately had some very positive discussions surrounding community-based boxing initiatives. Exciting times ahead for boxing and Punjab.”
In the pictures posted by Bhatti, he also poses alongside Sandra Vaughan, the former CEO of management firm MTK, who has no involvement in criminality.
MTK was co-founded by Kinahan in 2012 but he apparently stood away in 2017.
However, MTK later admitted that Kinahan advises some of their fighters.
Bhatti was in the UAE for Probellum’s fight night supporting Pakistan native Falcon Waseem who lost Saturday night’s bout against Sunny Edwards.
Both fighters are managed by MTK and Edwards has also gone on record repeatedly to say Kinahan is his advisor and singing his praises.
Kinahan has risen to be one of the most powerful figures in professional boxing, despite his involvement in serious and organised crime.
The gangster is currently being pursued by the Criminal Assets Bureau as part of a case which will be first heard in Dublin’s High Court next month.
That court has already found that Kinahan was running the day-to-day operations of the cartel in CAB’s case against Liam Byrne.
In 2020, the Special Criminal Court further established that gang carries out “execution-style” murders and trafficks drugs and arms on a global scale.
Read more: Daniel Kinahan opens up on Regency assassination attempt in rare public interview
Read more: Daniel Kinahan starting to show his age in new pic with boxer
To get the latest breaking news straight to your inbox, sign up for our free newsletter.
