Boxing champ Tyson Fury's link to Irish crime boss Daniel Kinahan brings sport's dark past into the present

This is a column by Morgan Campbell, who writes opinion for CBC Sports. For more information about CBC's Opinion section, please see the FAQ.

Last week the U.S. Treasury Department announced a $5-million US reward for information that would lead to the "financial destruction" of the Kinahan crime gang, or to the arrest and conviction of the Irish syndicate's leaders. The dollar figure tells you how seriously U.S. authorities are taking this case, which targets the group best known among law enforcement for funneling narcotics into Ireland.

But if you follow boxing, you might just as easily recognize the name Kinahan as the family behind MGM boxing, later branded as MTK Global, the promotional outfit that guided dozens of pro fighters until it folded this week, citing an exodus of business partners after the U.S. government's announcement. MTK worked with Tyson Fury, and the unified heavyweight champion appears tight with the group's boss, Daniel Kinahan. They have posed for photos together, waterside in Dubai.

The Treasury Department's bounty on the Kinahan crew went public just 11 days before Fury is scheduled to defend his titles against Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium, and while it has led to headlines, it is not the seismic scandal it would be in any other pro sport. Imagine the feds targeting an investor in the defending Super Bowl champs, and announcing the sanctions on Wild Card Weekend. It's at least as big a story as all those times Tom Brady pretended to retire.

But boxing isn't any other pro sport, where the talent gets vetted and background-checked, and where money alone can't buy you a spot in a very exclusive ownership class. Boxing is big business, but also a giant hustle, without teams, leagues or a