with Don King on Nov 12, 1999
with Don King on Mar 15, 1999
Don King Donald “Don” King is an American boxing promoter.
Don King first entered the boxing world in his hometown of Cleveland, after convincing Muhammad Ali to box a charity exhibition for a local hospital, with the help of singer, Lloyd. In 1974, King negotiated to promote a Heavyweight championship fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire, popularly known as “The Rumble in the Jungle.” The fight between Ali and Foreman was a much-anticipated event. King’s rivals all sought to promote the bout, but King was able to secure the then-record $10 million purse through an arrangement with the Zaire government.
King solidified his position as one of Boxing’s preeminent promoters the following year with the third fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, which King deemed the “Thrilla In Manila.” For the next two decades, King would promote such top fighters as Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Julio César Chávez, Aaron Pryor, Bernard Hopkins, Ricardo Lopez, Felix Trinidad, Terry Norris, Carlos Zarate, Azumah Nelson, Mike McCallum, and Meldrick Taylor, among others.
