Daniel Kinahan has been ordered to pay $9.7 million in damages to the promoter Moses Heredia. 

At the District Court of California, Heredia argued that Kinahan and his former organisation MTK Global poached his fighter Jo Jo Diaz with money made in the drugs trade. The ruling made by the judge brought to an end a four-year legal battle.

“Justice has been done,” Heredia said.

“We are tremendously grateful and blessed that the court recognised the harm that Kinahan and his business caused us,” he also told The Mirror. “We are thankful our attorney Eric Montalvo stayed by our side and believed we could hold him accountable.

“We are also thankful to people in boxing who saw through the lies and know that my brother [Ralph] and I are champions for our fighters and the profession and look forward to what comes next.

“I also want to acknowledge the people who have suffered greatly at the hands of the Kinahan organisation with our thoughts and prayers including the great Barry McGuigan. Now is a time for healing for us. We have been heard and justice has been done.”

It was in July when a magistrate recommended to Judge John W Holcomb that damages be paid to Heredia. Kinahan and MTK neglected to defend themselves, leading to the order of a default judgement. Holcomb ruled that Kinahan, MTK Global and Paul D Gibson, once the chief strategy officer for MTK Global, pay the damages. 

“Plaintiff Moses Heredia,” the judge wrote, “shall have judgement in his favour and against MTK Global Sports Management LLC, Paul D Gibson, Daniel Kinahan and MTK Global USA LLC, jointly and severally, in the total amount of $9,517,500.”

Montalvo, the Heredias’ lawyer, can therefore start to formally target Kinahan’s assets, and hopes to acquire those already seized to recover the damages. Kinahan was sanctioned by the US government in 2022; there exists a potential $15m reward for information that could lead to the Kinahans’ prosecution.