I watched Panorama the other night as much out of boredom as for any other reason. The programme revealed nothing that we did not already know about the Kinahan crime family, and the relationship of one of it's members with the world Boxing.
Daniel Kinahan has built a big reputation for himself in professional boxing via his MGM/MTK franchise. Once ensconced in the sport, with money being no obstacle, he will not be easily ejected. I am not a big fan of Darragh MacIntyre, and this offering does little to change my mind. As an aside, it was impossible not to note his ever expanding girth; something we both share in common. Less said about it the better.
MacIntyre synthesized all the known information about the Kinahans, threw in a few well known faces from boxing, journalism and law enforcement to produce what was mediocre expose. As always, I felt he got more mileage out of his subject matter than deserved.
There is nothing new or surprising about the involvement of criminal interests in the sport of boxing, especially at professional level. In the middle of the 20th Century, the American Mafioso infiltrated the sport at every level. A fight would be won or lost on the dictate of a Mafia boss: the crooked practice of 'taking a dive' is well documented in annals. Boxers were pressured to go down in a nominated round and not get back up again. Criminal fixers corrupted the sport, and promising careers were blighted by even a suggestion of association with Cosa Nostra. The late, great Sonny Liston was just one example.
However, other dark forces have manipulated Boxing for ulterior motives. Politics and ideology have mired the noble sport at critical historical junctures. Muhammad Ali's refusal to go to Vietnam caused him to go to jail and to forfeit his World Title. I always admire the great man for his principled stand against the white Establishment.
A few decades earlier, there was another example of Boxing being used for the wrong reasons. Two of the most controversial fights in boxing history, the pre-World War clashes between Joe Louis and Max Schemling, became a battle of ideologies. Germany was flexing it's military muscle on the World stage, and Hitler sought to demonstrate racial superiority in the Boxing ring. It must be said Schemling did not share Hitler's ideological motivations. The two pugilists became good friends as many boxers often do outside the crucible of pain.
None of this is intended to excuse the corruption that is there. On the contrary, boxing would be far better off absent the compromising influence of Daniel Kinahan. His involvement is wrong on so many levels. The truth is that without proper regulation it is almost impossible to eject him from the sport.
Unsavoury characters with plenty of money to spend will always be attracted to the industry. Gangsters come in different sizes, shapes and colours. Some of boxing's most intriguing and eccentric figures have checkered histories. Don King, Frank Warren, and Barry McGuigan all found themselves in the courts accused of mismanagement, and financial irregularities. Of course, the Kinahans are on different scale.
The cleanest hands in the business wear boxing gloves.
Daniel Kinahan has built a big reputation for himself in professional boxing via his MGM/MTK franchise. Once ensconced in the sport, with money being no obstacle, he will not be easily ejected. I am not a big fan of Darragh MacIntyre, and this offering does little to change my mind. As an aside, it was impossible not to note his ever expanding girth; something we both share in common. Less said about it the better.
MacIntyre synthesized all the known information about the Kinahans, threw in a few well known faces from boxing, journalism and law enforcement to produce what was mediocre expose. As always, I felt he got more mileage out of his subject matter than deserved.
There is nothing new or surprising about the involvement of criminal interests in the sport of boxing, especially at professional level. In the middle of the 20th Century, the American Mafioso infiltrated the sport at every level. A fight would be won or lost on the dictate of a Mafia boss: the crooked practice of 'taking a dive' is well documented in annals. Boxers were pressured to go down in a nominated round and not get back up again. Criminal fixers corrupted the sport, and promising careers were blighted by even a suggestion of association with Cosa Nostra. The late, great Sonny Liston was just one example.
However, other dark forces have manipulated Boxing for ulterior motives. Politics and ideology have mired the noble sport at critical historical junctures. Muhammad Ali's refusal to go to Vietnam caused him to go to jail and to forfeit his World Title. I always admire the great man for his principled stand against the white Establishment.
A few decades earlier, there was another example of Boxing being used for the wrong reasons. Two of the most controversial fights in boxing history, the pre-World War clashes between Joe Louis and Max Schemling, became a battle of ideologies. Germany was flexing it's military muscle on the World stage, and Hitler sought to demonstrate racial superiority in the Boxing ring. It must be said Schemling did not share Hitler's ideological motivations. The two pugilists became good friends as many boxers often do outside the crucible of pain.
None of this is intended to excuse the corruption that is there. On the contrary, boxing would be far better off absent the compromising influence of Daniel Kinahan. His involvement is wrong on so many levels. The truth is that without proper regulation it is almost impossible to eject him from the sport.
Unsavoury characters with plenty of money to spend will always be attracted to the industry. Gangsters come in different sizes, shapes and colours. Some of boxing's most intriguing and eccentric figures have checkered histories. Don King, Frank Warren, and Barry McGuigan all found themselves in the courts accused of mismanagement, and financial irregularities. Of course, the Kinahans are on different scale.
The cleanest hands in the business wear boxing gloves.
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| Alec McCrory is a life long boxing fan. |
