Darren Till releases statement on his ‘friendship’ with alleged cartel leader

Photo by Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images

Darren Till explained that he has been friends with alleged crime boss Daniel Kinahan since well before signing with MTK Global; the management company founded by Kinahan.

Top ranked UFC welterweight Darren Till made news earlier today when a photo was uploaded to Instagram showing him posing alongside Mohamed Bin Mansoor Al Arayedh and Daniel Kinahan. Arayedh is the Bahrain brand ambassador for MTK Global, the management company that represents Till. Kinahan is, according to dozens of reports in Irish news outlets, the alleged leader of the drug trafficking ring known as the Kinahan Cartel.

Kinahan, along with former professional boxer Matthew Macklin, founded Macklin’s Gym Marbella (MGM) in southern Spain in 2012. In 2017 MGM rebranded to MTK Global. Around this time the company announced that it severed ties with Kinahan. Irish reporters have continued to question Kinahan’s involvement with MTK Global; which now represents boxers Tyson Fury, Carl Frampton and Billy Joe Saunders among many others. These questions lead to MTK Global boycotting Irish press.

The picture of Till and Kinahan was printed in today’s Irish tabloid newspapers. In response to this Till tweeted pictures of these reports, along with a written statement addressing his relationship with Kinahan.

Till’s statement read:

Yes I am friends with Daniel Kinahan… & what? I’ve never hidden his friendship & why should I when the man has given me more valuable advice as a friend than anyone I’ve ever met in a professional capacity. I’ve been friend with Dan for years & years long before I ever joined MTK Global so why would it automatically be presumed the two are linked. There are thousands of people dying all over the world right now, people losing they’re jobs & struggling to keep a roof over their heads & put food on the table & this is NEWS?!! These journalists who are harassing me right now for a statement & writing lies & hated in an effort to make this news need to take a long hard look at themselves & ask what they are really contributing to the world. I won’t be commenting on this shit anymore, instead I’ll focus on more important things! I.e keeping my loved ones safe! #TheSunLie #Slander #Rats

Daniel Kinahan’s father Christy Kinahan is the alleged founder of the Kinahan Cartel; reportedly Ireland’s single biggest supplier of illegal drugs. The Kinahan Cartel is also reportedly active in the UK, mainland Europe, North Africa and Oceania.

Irish reports have stated that Daniel Kinahan is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the cartel. He has reportedly been living in Dubai since surviving a suspected assassination attempt at Dublin’s Regency Hotel in February 2016.

The shooting at the Regency Hotel targeted a weigh-in for an MGM boxing show. It is thought that the shooting was conducted by the Hutch Gang in retaliation for a number of killings of Hutch Gang members allegedly perpetrated by the Kinahan Cartel. The Kinahan-Hutch gang war has been active since Gary Hutch was killed in Spain in 2015. The feud has resulted in at least 20 deaths.