Characters of the Ring: Don King

Don King is a name synonymous with the golden age of boxing — a man who turned pugilism into pay-per-view blockbusters and elevated fighters into global icons. With his electrified hair, American flag pins, and bombastic personality, King became more than a promoter; he was a spectacle unto himself. But behind the glitz, King built his empire through methods that many boxers and critics claim were predatory, deceitful, and exploitative.

While he undeniably played a central role in shaping modern boxing, his legacy is tangled in a web of lawsuits, betrayal, and backroom maneuvering that left many fighters — including the very legends he helped create — feeling used and discarded.

From Numbers Rackets to the Big Ring

Born on August 20, 1931, in Cleveland, Ohio, Don King started out in the illegal numbers racket before transitioning into boxing promotion. His entry into the sport came under extraordinary circumstances in 1972 when he convinced Muhammad Ali to participate in a charity event to support a Cleveland hospital. This event helped launch his career, and soon after, he promoted “The Rumble in the Jungle” — the 1974 heavyweight title fight between Ali and George Foreman in Zaire. The bout became one of the most iconic events in sports history, watched by hundreds of millions worldwide.

The Great Fights That Built His Empire

King promoted many of the most memorable bouts in boxing history:

• The Rumble in the Jungle (1974): Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman, held in Zaire, was not only a political and cultural milestone, but a promotional masterpiece. King secured the backing of Zairean dictator Mobutu Sese Seko to fund the event with $10 million.
• Thrilla in Manila (1975): The brutal third bout between Ali and Joe Frazier, co-promoted by King, is often regarded as one of the greatest fights of all time.
• Tyson Era (1980s–90s): King took over Mike Tyson’s career after parting ways with his original team. Under King, Tyson became the sport’s biggest draw — but also a legal time bomb waiting to explode.
• Heavyweight Tournaments: In the late ’80s, King orchestrated the unification of the heavyweight titles, making a string of high-profile fights between champions like Mike Tyson, Tony Tucker, Pinklon Thomas, and Trevor Berbick.

But for many of these fighters, the fame and glory came at a steep personal cost.

The Fighters Who Turned on the King

Mike Tyson – “He’s a Wretched, Slimy Reptilian Motherf*er”**

Tyson, once King’s crown jewel, later became one of his harshest critics. After his prison release in the mid-1990s, Tyson began to distance himself from King, claiming he had been manipulated and defrauded.

In 1998, Tyson sued King for $100 million, alleging that King had stolen tens of millions from him through dishonest bookkeeping, kickbacks, and fake expenses. The lawsuit detailed how King allegedly:

• Overcharged Tyson for training camps and travel.
• Paid Tyson’s family members and employees behind his back as “consultants.”
• Funneled money to shell companies under King’s control.

Tyson eventually settled for $14 million, later describing King as “a wretched, slimy, reptilian motherf***er.” In his autobiography, Tyson claimed, “Don King had been robbing me blind, like a slick slave master.”

Muhammad Ali – Betrayed by a “Friend”

Even The Greatest wasn’t spared. Ali once sued King for underpayment from a 1974 fight in Trinidad, accusing him of keeping hundreds of thousands in promotional revenue. King settled the case quietly for $50,000 — but the sentiment lingered.

What hurt Ali most wasn’t the money, but the betrayal. He had supported King when few would, and King had repaid him with trickery, at least in Ali’s view.

Larry Holmes – “He’s Just a Crook”

Holmes, one of the most dominant heavyweight champions of the 1980s, had this to say about King:
“Don King’s a thief. He’d steal the Lord’s Prayer.”

Holmes sued King, claiming that he was shortchanged by millions during his title reign. He also accused King of underhanded tactics like:

• Manipulating purses by claiming promotional “expenses.”
• Giving fighters lump-sum payouts far below their contractual entitlements.
• Pressuring boxers to sign unfair long-term contracts under threat of being frozen out of future title fights.

Holmes and King eventually settled, but Holmes remained bitter for decades.

Tim Witherspoon – “He Ruined My Career”

Two-time heavyweight champ Tim Witherspoon took King to court in the late 1990s, claiming King had cheated him out of at least $25 million. According to Witherspoon:

• King forced him to sign exclusive promotional deals under duress.
• He was paid only $100,000 for title fights that grossed millions.
• King used his son, Carl King, as Witherspoon’s “manager” — a blatant conflict of interest — so both promotional and managerial fees would funnel back to King’s family.

Witherspoon’s lawsuit highlighted a common tactic: King would insist that his fighters sign with his son or a proxy manager, violating the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, which prohibits such conflicts of interest. The lawsuit was settled out of court, reportedly for around $1 million.

Other Fighters with Similar Complaints:

• Terry Norris sued King for breach of contract and fraud.
• Lloyd Honeyghan called King “a disgrace to boxing.”
• Julio César Chávez later expressed regret over his financial dealings with King.
• Frank Bruno and Greg Page were among others who publicly stated they were shortchanged.

King’s Methods: The Blueprint of Boxing Control

Don King’s grip on boxing was not just due to charisma — it was strategic and shrewd:

1. Lock Fighters Into Exclusive Deals: King would tie boxers into multi-fight contracts that gave him complete control over their purses and matchups.
2. Conflict of Interest: His son Carl King frequently served as manager to fighters Don promoted, a setup criticized as unethical.
3. Manipulating Rankings: King had influence over sanctioning bodies like the WBC and WBA, helping to get his fighters favorable title shots.
4. Divide and Conquer: Fighters who questioned him were often isolated or blackballed, with King using his dominance to cut them off from major opportunities.

Other Legal Issues…

Don King’s legal history isn’t limited to disputes with boxers. He’s been involved in a wide range of legal problems over the years, including criminal charges, civil lawsuits, and investigations that show just how entangled his career has been with controversy and law. Here’s a deeper dive into some of his other major legal issues beyond just the boxer lawsuits:

Manslaughter Conviction (1967)

Before Don King ever promoted a fight, he was convicted of second-degree manslaughter.

• In 1966, King stomped a man named Sam Garrett to death in Cleveland over a $600 gambling debt.
• Initially charged with second-degree murder, the charge was reduced to manslaughter, and he served nearly 4 years in prison.
• Earlier in 1954, King had shot and killed a man who was attempting to rob one of his gambling houses. That shooting was ruled a justifiable homicide.

These incidents didn’t stop King from eventually becoming one of the most powerful men in boxing — in fact, some argue they shaped the ruthless persona he carried into the business world.

Federal Investigations – Ties to Organized Crime

In the 1990s, the FBI and federal prosecutors investigated Don King for racketeering and possible ties to organized crime, particularly concerning his stranglehold over boxing’s heavyweight division.

• Though no charges were filed, these investigations revealed concerns about:
  • Bribery of boxing officials and judges.
  • Coercive contracts that locked fighters in under shady circumstances.
  • Manipulation of rankings and matchmaking using connections with the WBC and other bodies.

This scrutiny increased as King gained more control over the heavyweight division, especially during Mike Tyson’s reign.

Fraud & Tax Evasion Allegations

King was reportedly under IRS investigation in the 1980s and 1990s for tax evasion, though he was never formally charged. There were questions about:

• Improper write-offs for personal expenses.
• Concealing fight purses and promoter revenues.
• Dubious payments to “consultants” (often relatives or cronies).

While he managed to avoid prosecution, these inquiries painted a picture of someone who used creative (and possibly illegal) accounting to shield his income.

Don King Productions vs. ESPN (2005)

King’s company, Don King Productions, sued ESPN for defamation after the network aired a documentary called “Don King: Unauthorized”. The film portrayed King as a criminal and con artist who manipulated fighters and defrauded them.

• King claimed the documentary defamed him by exaggerating or distorting facts.
• The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed in court, with the judge ruling that ESPN’s portrayal was based on public record and prior verified claims.

In this case, King tried to fight back against media portrayals — but the law wasn’t on his side.

Lawsuit from Lennox Lewis (2000)

After Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999 to unify the heavyweight title, Don King allegedly conspired to prevent Lewis from defending his title against rightful challengers by working behind the scenes with sanctioning bodies.

Lewis claimed King tried to manipulate the WBA into stripping him of one of his belts so that King’s fighter, John Ruiz, could fight for the vacant title.

• Lewis sued and won in court, retaining his WBA title and receiving a financial settlement.
• This was another case where King’s close relationships with sanctioning bodies came under fire.

Carl King Conflict of Interest Scandal

While not a single court case, this issue spanned several lawsuits:

• King often installed his son, Carl King, as the official “manager” of fighters Don promoted.
• Fighters like Tim Witherspoon, Terry Norris, and Greg Page all testified or sued over this practice, saying that Carl King negotiated deals that only benefited Don King Promotions.
• Under federal law (specifically the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act), a promoter cannot also be a manager — this is a clear conflict of interest.
• This pattern was repeatedly cited in lawsuits, and while Don King skirted major penalties, it exposed how deeply embedded his control was over every layer of a boxer’s career.

Summary of Don King’s Broader Legal Problems

Type of Issue	Description
Manslaughter	Convicted in 1967 for stomping a man to death.
Racketeering Investigations	Probed by the FBI in the 1990s; no charges filed.
Tax Issues	Targeted for tax evasion; suspected of hiding income and laundering funds.
Defamation Lawsuit	Sued ESPN over a documentary; lost the case.
Lawsuits by Fighters	Dozens of lawsuits for fraud, breach of contract, and theft.
Conflict of Interest	Installed his son as manager in multiple deals — a violation of federal law.
Interference with Sanctioning Bodies	Accused of rigging title opportunities via relationships with the WBA, WBC, etc.

A Complicated Legacy

To some, Don King is a hustler who made boxing bigger, louder, and more profitable. To others, he’s a modern-day robber baron who preyed on the dreams of poor young men for personal gain. The truth lies somewhere in between.

He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997 — a move that underscored the sport’s love-hate relationship with the man. Even as lawsuits mounted, King continued promoting into his 80s, always with the same showman’s flair.

Final Thoughts

Don King turned boxing into a global spectacle, but his career is also a cautionary tale of unchecked power in sports. His name is etched in the history books not just for the fights he staged, but for the wars he waged outside the ring — against his own fighters.

In the end, King’s life is a study in contradiction: a man who gave so much to boxing, and took just as much away.