Don King: 12 key facts you need to know

Posted by Zora Stowers on Monday, May 20, 2024

Donald King is a boxing promoter in the United States, well known for his role in several notable boxing matches.

He has been a divisive figure, in part because of a manslaughter conviction and civil cases against him, as well as allegations of unethical business practices by numerous boxers.

Table of Content

1. Don King’s birthday, age, and birthplace

King was born on August 20, 1931, in Cleveland, Ohio, where he attended school.

2. Don King’s nationality, ethnicity

The champion boxer is an American and belongs to the mixed (African-American) ethnic group.

3. Don King’s religion

King is a proud Christian. He was once reported to have said:

“I’m a Baptist. Mike Tyson’s a Baptist. We’re going to do for the Baptists what Muhammad Ali and Elijah Muhammad did for the Muslims”.

4. Don King’s height and weight

King stands at a height of 6 feet 1 inch equivalent to 187 cm and weighs 80 kg.

5. Don King’s educational background

King was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated from John Adams High School in 1951. After dropping out of Kent State University, he conducted an illegal bookmaking operation from the basement of a record store on Kinsman Road, and he was charged with the murders of two men 13 years apart.

The first case was declared to be justified murder when it was discovered that in 1954, King shot Hillary Brown in the back and killed him while attempting to rob one of King’s gaming establishments. After being found guilty of stomping to death an employee, Sam Garrett, who owed him $600, King was convicted of second-degree murder in 1967.

When incarcerated at the Marion Correctional Institute, he began self-education; in his own words, he read anything he could get his hands on at the prison library.

After being freed in 1972, King was pardoned in 1983 by Ohio Governor Jim Rhodes, who received letters of support from Jesse Jackson, Coretta Scott King, George Voinovich, Art Modell, and Gabe Paul, among others.

6. Don King’s parents and siblings

There is no information available regarding the notorious boxer family’s details such as parents and siblings.

7. Don King’s wife  and children

Henrietta King, Don King’s wife, died on December 2, 2010, at the age of 87. He has a biological daughter named Debbie, a son named Eric, and an adopted son named Carl, as well as five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

8. Don King’s top boxing promotions

With the help of singer Lloyd Price, King persuaded Muhammad Ali to box in a charity exhibition for a local hospital in Cleveland. Early on, he developed a deal with a local promoter named Don Elbaum, who already had a fighter stable in Cleveland and years of boxing expertise

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In 1974, King arranged up a heavyweight title bout between Muhammed Ali and George Foreman in Zaire, dubbed “The Rumble in the Jungle.” The battle between Ali and Foreman was much anticipated. All of King’s opponents attempted to advertise the fight, but King was able to secure a then-record $10 million purse through an agreement with the government of Zaire.

The following year, King cemented his position as one of boxing’s preeminent promoters with the third fight between Ali and Joe Frazier in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, which King dubbed the “Thrilla in Manila.”

Aside from promoting the top heavyweight fights of the 1970s, King was expanding his boxing empire. Throughout the decade, he amassed an impressive roster of fighters, many of whom would go on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

In the 1970s, fighters such as Larry Holmes, Wilfred Bentez, Roberto Durán, Salvador Sánchez, Wilfredo Gómez, and Alexis Argüello would compete under the Don King Productions promotional banner.

King remained one of boxing’s most successful promoters for the next two decades.
Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Julio César Chávez, Aaron Pryor, Bernard Hopkins, Ricardo López, Félix Trinidad, Terry Norris, Carlos Zárate, Azumah Nelson, Andrew Gołota, Mike McCallum, Gerald McClellan, Meldrick Taylor, Marco Antonio Barrera, Tomasz Adamek, John Ruiz, and Ricardo Mayorga are some of the boxers who chose King to promote many of their biggest fights.

9. Don King awards

1997: International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee
2008: Gaming Hall of Fame inductee
2015: Street in Newark, New Jersey renamed Don King Way
2016: Shaker Boulevard in Cleveland was renamed Don King Way

10. Don King’s home: Where does Don King live?

The famous boxer resides in his mansion in Florida.

11. Don King’s earnings and net worth

According to verified sources, the prominent boxer has a net worth of $160 Million.

12. Don King’s social media pages

Don King’s Instagram page name is:

Don King (@donking_official) • Instagram photos and videos.

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