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Multiple Irish fighters to feature in life-changing Golden Contract tournament


Multiple Irish fighters will do battle over the coming months in the hope of landing a dream boxing deal.

This morning, management outfit Mack The Knife Global announced the ‘Golden Contract’ tournament, the latest boxing endeavour which seeks to add structure to a fragmented game.

Very similar to Comosa’s World Boxing Super Series, the tournament will see 24 boxers across three weight divisions box in a knockout format over a number of months, with quarters, semis, and a grand final.

However, rather than the Muhammad Ali trophy and, usually, unified world champion status, the Golden Contract looks to reward rising stars, with each of the three winners being award a lucrative multi-fight deal with a major promoter.

Irish-Boxing.com can confirm that a number of boxers from these shores will compete, with MTK’s Professional Development Co-Ordinator Jamie Conlan revealing that “multiple” Irish fighters will compete.

The three weight classes in the inaugural competition are featherweight, light welterweight, and light heavyweight.

In an added quirk, the draws for the three brackets will not take place until the start of the three quarter final fight weeks in late October/early November.

The semis will then run in February and March before the finals in May and June.

On top of this, there will be unspecified knockout bonuses in play.

Regarding the grand prize, the winners will receive a two-year, five-fight deal with “one of the world’s leading promoters” and each of these five fights will have a guaranteed six-figure purse, meaning genuine life-changing money for the winner.

The identity of the promoter that will snap up the three winners has not been made known although MTK do have an official link with Bob Arum’s Top Rank as well as exerting considerable influence over Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions.

The nine fight nights will be aired in America on the ESPN+ app but vieweing details on this side of the world remain to be confirmed, with the outfit currently in talks with broadcasters.

The 24 fighters involved will be announced in due course and, at this stage, it remains to be seen whether the prospects and contenders will be drawn exclusively from the MTK stable or if entry is open to those from further afield.

dpg

Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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