Tag: Ireland

Prince Andrew’s public exile includes patron roles at Royal Portrush, Royal Liverpool

At least two clubs have distanced themselves from Prince Andrew in the wake of his reputed involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

Royal Portrush Golf Club, site of this year’s British Open in July, is considering seeking a new patron after Prince Andrew stepped back from public life and his royal duties in the wake of his reputed involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein sex-abuse scandal.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Royal Portrush plans to discuss the Duke of York’s involvement at the club in Northern Ireland at its next meeting. His patron role at Royal Portrush was largely as a publicity figurehead.

“The allegations surrounding Prince Andrew, and especially the trauma and distress suffered by the victims of Jeffrey Epstein is a matter of deep regret,” the club said in a statement obtained by the Daily Telegraph. “Royal Portrush will continue to monitor the ongoing investigative process. There are no scheduled plans for him to return to the club.

“The council of Royal Portrush is acutely aware of the widespread public concern about these allegations, and Prince Andrew’s decision to step away from public duties will be discussed at our next meeting.”

Prince Andrew, Duke of York (center) watches the third round of the British Open at Royal Portrush on July 20, 2019. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Prince Andrew also has ties to Royal Liverpool Golf Club, host site for the 2022 British Open. The Daily Telegraph also reported that club will “not call upon” Andrew’s services during his exile.

Andrew is also a member of the R&A, the ruling body for golf in much of the world and the organization that puts on the British Open. The R&A would confirm only that he was a member to the Daily Telegraph. Andrew was captain of that club in 2003 during its 250th anniversary.

USA TODAY reported that Virginia Roberts Giuffre has repeatedly said she was groomed by Epstein and his associates to sexually service Epstein’s powerful friends, including Prince Andrew, when she was a teen. Andrew has denied the accusation, but he announced Wednesday that he was halting his public duties because “my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work.”

“Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission,” Queen Elizabeth II’s second son said in a statement released Wednesday by Buckingham Palace.

USA TODAY also reported that Andrew’s resignation comes on the heels of a recent controversial interview with the BBC in which he said he doesn’t remember meeting Giuffre, despite a picture of the two, he with his arm around her waist, that has been floating around the internet since at least 2011.

“Our clients welcome Prince Andrew’s decision to withdraw from public life as a member of England’s royal family,” read a statement to USA TODAY from Sigrid McCawley and the law firm Boies Schiller, which is representing Giuffre and other women. “It is a positive first step towards taking responsibility for his actions.”

USA TODAY also reported that as Andrew’s connection to Epstein made headlines in recent months, corporate sponsors started to pull their support and distance themselves from the prince’s Pitch@Palace networking initiative, which connects entrepreneurs with various business leaders. Companies that have ditched Andrew include Cisco Systems, KPMG and AstraZeneca.

Jaime Munguia vs. Gary O’Sullivan set for Jan. 11 in San Antonio

Jaime Munguia will move up a division to face middleweight Gary O’Sullivan in a 12-round bout at the Alamodome in San Antonio on Jan. 11.

After five successful defenses of his junior middleweight title, Mexican slugger Jaime Munguia is moving up a division.

The 23-year-old makes his middleweight debut against Irish veteran Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan in a 12-rounder on Jan. 11 at the Alamodome in San Antonio on DAZN, Golden Boy Promotions has announced.

“I feel very happy to be starting the year 2020 with a great fight at a great place like San Antonio, Texas,” Munguia said.”I have fought in Houston, Texas before, where the people there treated me very well. I think that San Antonio won’t be any different.”

Munguia burst onto the scene last year when he appeared from nowhere to poleaxe Sadam Ali to win the WBO junior middleweight belt. He went on to defend it successfully against Liam Smith, Brandon Cook, Takeshi Inoue, Dennis Hogan and most recently Patrick Allotey. With each subsequent fight, however, Munguia, who sports a hulkish build, found it increasingly onerous to make the 154-pound limit.

“We’re going to deliver a great fight against a tough fighter in Gary O’Sullivan,” Munguia said. “He’s great and he’s strong, but we’re going to come very well prepared. We plan to do an excellent job and make it very clear who is the best in the ring.”

Munguia (34-0, 27 knockouts) joins a packed middleweight crew, which includes stablemate and countryman Canelo Alvarez (who may or may not return to that division after moving up to light heavyweight recently), as well as titleholders Gennadiy Golovkin, Jermall Charlo, and Demetrius Andrade.

The 35-year-old O’Sullivan ( 30-3, 21 KOs) reeled off consecutive wins since getting starched by David Lemieux last year. O’Sullivan made a name for himself when he wiped out once highly regarded prospect Antoine Douglas back in 2017.

“For me it’s a dream come true to fight the undefeated champion of the world and the No. 1-ranked fighter in the world,” O’Sullivan said. “It makes it even better that he’s Mexican. I grew up watching the great Mexican champions, and to get the opportunity to fight Jaime is an honor.”

The undercard bouts have not been announced.