The worlds of combat sports and organized crime intersect at many points. The Hutch-Kinahan feud is just one of them.
In 2015 Gary Hutch was booted out of the Kinahan Organized Crime Group (aka The Kinahan Cartel). Some in the cartel thought Hutch had tipped off authorities in Ireland, leading to a massive drug bust at one of the country’s ports.
Hutch was given a severance package and told to go straight. The kind offer likely came because of who Hutch’s uncle was; Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, alleged leader of the Hutch Gang and an old friend of alleged Kinahan cartel founder Christy Kinahan.
Despite accepting the offer, Hutch was killed by suspected Kinahan associates. It is thought that Christy Kinahan tried to arrange a peace summit with Gerry Hutch to avoid any reprisals. However, Hutch declined.
After this a number of Hutch’s family members and alleged members of the Hutch Gang were killed across Ireland and Spain. Hutch himself was also targeted, but he narrowly avoided a pair of gunmen who were sent to a pub in Lanzarote with orders to kill him.
In February 2016 it is believed that the Hutch Gang struck back against the Kinahans.
During a boxing weigh-in show at Dublin’s Regency Hotel, a group of armed men stormed in and fired on the crowd. David Byrne, an alleged top lieutenant of the Kinahan’s, was killed. It is believed that the target of the shooting was Daniel Kinahan, Christy’s son.
Daniel Kinahan, who Irish press, courts and politicians, all claim is the day-to-day leader of the Kinahan cartel, fled to the Middle East after the shooting.
The weigh-in show that was attacked was for a Macklin’s Gym Marbella event. MGM was founded by Daniel Kinahan and Matthew Macklin. After the Regency Hotel attack, MGM rebranded to become MTK Global.
MTK Global is now one of the most powerful companies in combat sports. Its boxing wing has deals with Bob Arum’s Top Rank Sports, ESPN+ and the apparel brand Everlast. Among its clients are Tyson Fury, Billy Joe Saunders, Carl Frampton, Michael Conlan, Hughie Fury, Josh Taylor and Rocky Fielding.
MTK’s MMA division represents dozens of fighters including UFC fighters Darren Till, Aleksandar Rakic, Mounir Lazzez, Talia Santos, Mike Grundy, Sumudaerji and Dusko Todorovic.
MTK claims Kinahan no longer works with the company, but evidence to the contrary has popped up throughout the years.
Stories regarding that evidence, along with stories detailing the ongoing Hutch-Kinahan feud can be found in this story stream.