we left Africa and shackles and fetters and chains
and chains
and chains you know we’re coming back an hour of
you know we’re coming back an hour of
you know we’re coming back an hour of Splendor and scintillating glory the
Splendor and scintillating glory the
Splendor and scintillating glory the champions are here he is recognizable
champions are here he is recognizable
champions are here he is recognizable for his trademark hairstyle and for his
for his trademark hairstyle and for his
for his trademark hairstyle and for his contributions to the boxing world
contributions to the boxing world
contributions to the boxing world welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be learning more about the life and
be learning more about the life and
be learning more about the life and career of
career of
career of Don King so we have a situation here
Don King so we have a situation here
Don King so we have a situation here that we have been struck with adversity
that we have been struck with adversity
that we have been struck with adversity and that you think about what
and that you think about what
and that you think about what Shakespeare said you know oldest we used
Shakespeare said you know oldest we used
Shakespeare said you know oldest we used M University ugly a venomous like the
M University ugly a venomous like the
M University ugly a venomous like the two yet wears the precious jewel and is
two yet wears the precious jewel and is
two yet wears the precious jewel and is here Donald King was born August 20th
here Donald King was born August 20th
here Donald King was born August 20th 1931 in Cleveland Ohio after an
1931 in Cleveland Ohio after an
1931 in Cleveland Ohio after an unsuccessful attempt in the boxing ring
unsuccessful attempt in the boxing ring
unsuccessful attempt in the boxing ring King tried to pay for his education by
King tried to pay for his education by
King tried to pay for his education by running numbers eventually he started
running numbers eventually he started
running numbers eventually he started his own illegal lottery business by the
his own illegal lottery business by the
his own illegal lottery business by the time he was 30 he had one of the biggest
time he was 30 he had one of the biggest
time he was 30 he had one of the biggest rackets in Cleveland he boasted his
rackets in Cleveland he boasted his
rackets in Cleveland he boasted his wealth with expensive cars and
wealth with expensive cars and
wealth with expensive cars and flamboyant clothing however his success
flamboyant clothing however his success
flamboyant clothing however his success made him enemies in 1954 King killed a
made him enemies in 1954 King killed a
made him enemies in 1954 King killed a robber but successfully argued it as a
robber but successfully argued it as a
robber but successfully argued it as a justifiable homicide later in the decade
justifiable homicide later in the decade
justifiable homicide later in the decade he survived murder attempts relatively
he survived murder attempts relatively
he survived murder attempts relatively unscathed despite problems with the IRS
unscathed despite problems with the IRS
unscathed despite problems with the IRS Kings career remained successful at the
Kings career remained successful at the
Kings career remained successful at the beginning of the 60s during this period
beginning of the 60s during this period
beginning of the 60s during this period he met boxer Cassius Clay and began
he met boxer Cassius Clay and began
he met boxer Cassius Clay and began following his career Kings luck changed
following his career Kings luck changed
following his career Kings luck changed in 1967 when he was convicted of
in 1967 when he was convicted of
in 1967 when he was convicted of manslaughter and sent to prison while
manslaughter and sent to prison while
manslaughter and sent to prison while incarcerated King educated himself by
incarcerated King educated himself by
incarcerated King educated himself by reading literature and philosophy he was
reading literature and philosophy he was
reading literature and philosophy he was paroled in 1971 and chose to seek
paroled in 1971 and chose to seek
paroled in 1971 and chose to seek legitimate business prospects it was
legitimate business prospects it was
legitimate business prospects it was also around this time the King began
also around this time the King began
also around this time the King began wearing his hair in its trademark style
wearing his hair in its trademark style
wearing his hair in its trademark style in 1972 he organized a fundraiser for a
in 1972 he organized a fundraiser for a
in 1972 he organized a fundraiser for a local hospital and convinced Muhammad
local hospital and convinced Muhammad
local hospital and convinced Muhammad Ali formerly Cassius Clay to fight the
Ali formerly Cassius Clay to fight the
Ali formerly Cassius Clay to fight the event raised over $80,000 and convinced
event raised over $80,000 and convinced
event raised over $80,000 and convinced King that boxing promotion was where he
King that boxing promotion was where he
King that boxing promotion was where he would make his money King launched his
would make his money King launched his
would make his money King launched his career on a global stage in 1974 when he
career on a global stage in 1974 when he
career on a global stage in 1974 when he organized a bout in Zaire between Ali
organized a bout in Zaire between Ali
organized a bout in Zaire between Ali and George Foreman called the rumble in
and George Foreman called the rumble in
and George Foreman called the rumble in the jungle this highly anticipated event
the jungle this highly anticipated event
the jungle this highly anticipated event was a coup for King as he was able to
was a coup for King as he was able to
was a coup for King as he was able to secure over 10 million dollars in
secure over 10 million dollars in
secure over 10 million dollars in funding from Zaire ‘s government
funding from Zaire ‘s government
funding from Zaire ‘s government the fight was a huge success and led to
the fight was a huge success and led to
the fight was a huge success and led to Kings next victory in 1975 King promoted
Kings next victory in 1975 King promoted
Kings next victory in 1975 King promoted the Thrilla in Manilla
the Thrilla in Manilla
the Thrilla in Manilla the belt between Ali and Joe Frazier was
the belt between Ali and Joe Frazier was
the belt between Ali and Joe Frazier was considered one of the greatest
considered one of the greatest
considered one of the greatest heavyweight fights of all time and was
heavyweight fights of all time and was
heavyweight fights of all time and was watched by over 1 million people King
watched by over 1 million people King
watched by over 1 million people King reinforced his reputation as one of the
reinforced his reputation as one of the
reinforced his reputation as one of the best matchmakers in the biz after
best matchmakers in the biz after
best matchmakers in the biz after promoting more of Ali’s championship
promoting more of Ali’s championship
promoting more of Ali’s championship fights King was eventually dumped
fights King was eventually dumped
fights King was eventually dumped however other fighters like Larry Holmes
however other fighters like Larry Holmes
however other fighters like Larry Holmes and Wilfred Benitez took him on
and Wilfred Benitez took him on
and Wilfred Benitez took him on controversy followed King into the late
controversy followed King into the late
controversy followed King into the late 70s and early 80s he was associated with
70s and early 80s he was associated with
70s and early 80s he was associated with some shady dealings with in the boxing
some shady dealings with in the boxing
some shady dealings with in the boxing industry and was accused of altering
industry and was accused of altering
industry and was accused of altering fighters records in 1984 he was charged
fighters records in 1984 he was charged
fighters records in 1984 he was charged with tax evasion though he was later
with tax evasion though he was later
with tax evasion though he was later acquitted that was the year he expanded
acquitted that was the year he expanded
acquitted that was the year he expanded from boxing to promote the Jacksons
from boxing to promote the Jacksons
from boxing to promote the Jacksons final concert series the victory tour by
final concert series the victory tour by
final concert series the victory tour by the late 80s King was as successful as
the late 80s King was as successful as
the late 80s King was as successful as ever with help from his lucrative
ever with help from his lucrative
ever with help from his lucrative relationship with Mike Tyson however in
relationship with Mike Tyson however in
relationship with Mike Tyson however in the 1990s Tyson lost the championship
the 1990s Tyson lost the championship
the 1990s Tyson lost the championship and went to jail Kings relationship with
and went to jail Kings relationship with
and went to jail Kings relationship with HBO collapsed and he was accused of an
HBO collapsed and he was accused of an
HBO collapsed and he was accused of an insurance scam a number of Kings former
insurance scam a number of Kings former
insurance scam a number of Kings former fighters also alleged that he had
fighters also alleged that he had
fighters also alleged that he had cheated them out of money
cheated them out of money
cheated them out of money Muhammad Ali Tim Witherspoon and Tyson
Muhammad Ali Tim Witherspoon and Tyson
Muhammad Ali Tim Witherspoon and Tyson himself all brought suits against him a
himself all brought suits against him a
himself all brought suits against him a derisive biography of King called only
derisive biography of King called only
derisive biography of King called only in America the life and crimes of Don
in America the life and crimes of Don
in America the life and crimes of Don King was published in 1995 and portrayed
King was published in 1995 and portrayed
King was published in 1995 and portrayed him as a cold-blooded criminal despite
him as a cold-blooded criminal despite
him as a cold-blooded criminal despite that Kings reputation barely suffered
that Kings reputation barely suffered
that Kings reputation barely suffered and he continued working within boxing
and he continued working within boxing
and he continued working within boxing even after the sport declined in
even after the sport declined in
even after the sport declined in popularity over his career Don King
popularity over his career Don King
popularity over his career Don King amassed a fortune worth hundreds of
amassed a fortune worth hundreds of
amassed a fortune worth hundreds of millions of dollars he also fought
millions of dollars he also fought
millions of dollars he also fought allegations asserting ties to organized
allegations asserting ties to organized
allegations asserting ties to organized crime
crime
crime while he helped increase the popularity
while he helped increase the popularity
while he helped increase the popularity of boxing he is also alleged to have
of boxing he is also alleged to have
of boxing he is also alleged to have contributed to its reputation as corrupt
contributed to its reputation as corrupt
contributed to its reputation as corrupt either way his influence is huge both in
either way his influence is huge both in
either way his influence is huge both in boxing and in pop culture
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