Blain McGuigan denies on the side selling of comp tickets as financial details of Frampton vs Quigg come out in court.

Cyclone Promotions sold complimentary tickets for the massive Carl Frampton versus Scott Quigg clash on the side, it was alleged in court today.

During day 18 of proceedings and mid the continued cross examination of Blain McGuigan, Counsel for Carl Frampton suggested the promotional company had tried to maximise profits via the sale of complimentary tickets.

QC Millar argued Cyclone sought out the high end comps because of their value and sold them rather than handed them out.

According to box office records from Manchester Arena for the February 2017 mega fight, Cyclone received 124 complimentary tickets for the fight, including 82 in the highest value category.

Blaine McGuigan was adamant that no money was ever handed over for any of those tickets.

However, based on an alleged lack of records, counsel for Frampton claimed Cyclone had been selling them on the side.

“You were selling complimentaries, and the reason you were getting complimentaries in the high value ticket brackets is they were the most valuable to sell,” he put to McGuigan, who responsed: “No, we did not.”

The court also heard the purse for the contest split 57.5-42.5% in Frampton’s favour.

Millar argued $100,000 from US TV money paid into a Cyclone account was supposed to go into the joint venture as a “quid pro quo” for not getting his client a higher 60% split. However, Mr McGuigan described this as “absolute nonsense”.

“If you ask Eddie Hearn and Scott Quigg about that they would be very clear they felt it was a 50-50 fight,” he said.

“We did a great job to get it up to 57.5%, and Carl was not expecting to get 60. That absolutely was not the case at the time.”

Counsel also queried £215,000 from ticket sales which lodged into Barry McGuigan’s account.

Blain McGuigan explained it was for the convenience of Northern Ireland-based ticket sellers, including Frampton’s father.

“Everything was obviously reconciled in correctly,” he said.

Challenged about management fees deducted from Mr Frampton’s eventual pay, McGuigan said: “Carl never disputed that, he was absolutely happy to pay my father 20% gross because my father had not charged him any training camp costs or any expenses since he turned professional in 2009.”

“Absolutely industry standard,” was his response when asked about his 10% promotional cut.

Earlier in proceedings the Cylcone Promotions director denied expenses for the lucrative fight were “inflated” to £75,000.

“You have inflated the expenses beyond what can be justified,” counsel alleged.

The promoter responded: “I completely disagree with you.”

Questions were also asked with regard to the time frame the former two weight world champion was paid within.

Under a joint venture with co-promoter Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom organisation, Cyclone received just over £1.5m in July that year.

A further £580,000 came through ticket sales and overseas television deals, the court heard.

QC Millar questioned why Frampton had to wait until December 2016 before he was paid just over £1m.

McGuigan told the court certain arrangements with Matchroom had to be sorted out first, a situation the boxer was “completely relaxed about”.

Frampton is suing former manager Barry McGuigan for withheld earnings of up to £6m.

While his fellow Irish fight legend, McGuigan has a separate counter claim lodged for breach of contract.

Both men deny any wrong doing.

The case continues.