A lawsuit filed in the United States alleges that a boxing promoter boasted about enlisting cartel leader Daniel Kinahan to compel UFC fighter Conor McGregor to escort Irish boxer Michael Conlan to the ring during an event in New York City.
According to the claims, McGregor initially declined to accompany Conlan but was coerced into doing so by Kinahan.
The explosive legal action was initiated by Billy Keane in a California court on Thursday, as part of a multimillion-dollar dispute.
Keane is seeking damages of more than $25 million for breach of contract from Top Rank.
Keane asserts that Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank and son-in-law of Bob Arum, utilized him as an intermediary to negotiate with Kinahan, a notorious cartel figure, in Dubai.
In the filing, Keane alleges that duBoef took pride in leveraging Kinahan’s influence to pressure McGregor into fulfilling his role at Conlan’s prominent St. Patrick’s Day bout at Madison Square Garden in 2017.
The lawsuit details how Top Rank, which had signed Conlan—a former Irish Olympian—to a multi-year contract in 2016, collaborated with Kinahan, who founded MTK Global, the company managing Conlan at the time.
For Conlan’s professional debut in March 2017, duBoef reportedly arranged for McGregor, a fellow Irish icon, to lead Conlan from the dressing room to the ring. When McGregor hesitated, duBoef allegedly boasted within boxing circles that he had called on Kinahan to strong-arm “The Notorious” into complying.
MORE HERE: 🚨 Former ring girl Maura Higgins goes viral after kissing married celebrity
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McGregor ultimately escorted Conlan—decked out in green attire—to the ring, in an event that garnered significant attention from the U.S. media.
