Boxing management company MTK Global have announced they will end their boycott of Irish media at midnight tonight.
The company has over 30 Irish fighters in their stable including Carl Frampton, Michael Conlan and Paddy Barnes.
MTK Global President Bob Yalen released a statement confirming the news.
We are a truly global company but Irish boxing will always remain close to the heart of MTK. It would be nice to be free to operate there as we do in every other country in the world and my hope is that the Irish press will support our efforts to do so.
The boycott began after then CEO Sandra Vaughan launched an attack on the Irish media for what she perceived to be unfairly targeting MTK-boxers with negative coverage. However, Vaughan left that role last year to pass the mantle to Yalen. The former ESPN’s Director of Programming & Acquisitions is now overseeing the management company's programme.
The ban was heavily criticised while it was in operation, particularly given its partitionist nature. Irish media were not accredited for MTK or Frank Warren shows and with Michael Conlan and Jono Carroll both headlining shows stateside in the coming months, it seems Irish media will now be able to attend and cover those events.
