Eddie Hearn doesn't believe Daniel Kinahan's role in talks over Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua "slowed anything down" surrounding the mega-fight taking place.
Then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he was "taken aback" when he heard of Kinahan's involvement in the talks earlier this summer, but promoter Hearn wasn't surprised that he had to negotiate with the Dubliner.
Kinahan has no criminal convictions, but was identified in the High Court in 2018 as a senior figure in organised crime.
"He has been in boxing a long time, so to people in boxing it wasn’t a surprise," Hearn told Off The Ball.
"At the end of the day, I represent Anthony Joshua and whoever we have to make a fight with they will have a representative to negotiate with.
"That was the person that was put forward by Team Fury and you've got Carl Frampton, Michael Conlan and all these other fighters that he represents as well. It wasn’t a surprise that we had to deal with him.
"Obviously he’s taken a step back now and now I’ve been told that my negotiations have to take place with Bob Arum.
"I don’t think that it [Kinahan's role] slowed anything down, everyone just knows there’s business to take care of in the mandatories and of course with the Deontay Wilder fight to make this a reality in 2021."
He added: "I'm just focused on making those deals really, whatever it takes to get that over the line.
"I think there's so many distractions in boxing. It's never straightforward whether that's controversy, politics, heartbreak, disappointment and so forth.
"I'm just focused on delivering for Anthony Joshua and delivering him the undisputed championship which will hopefully happen in 2021."
Hearn admitted Kinahan not being involved "takes headlines away", but insisted he has no problem negotiating with him.
He said: "I guess it takes headlines away. They would have discussed that as a team but it doesn’t matter to me who I am told to get a deal over the line with, the focus is on getting that deal over the line."
