WHat are your views on Don King?

[Bricks]

Although he has kept a lower profile in the 2000's and has become somewhat of a flag waving patriot and friend of the Bush regime........Don King was and always has been one of the most controversial figures in boxing history.

How do you guys see him?

Do you see him as a guy who ushered in an an exciting era of big paydays in boxing and international fights raising the earning capability of boxers and the profile of boxing?

Or do you see him as an ex convict who helped recreate a ghetto in his "fight stable" and mercilessly ripped off a whole generation of talented black fighters?

Do you see him as an inspirational figure and role model for black men and the "only in America" man?

Or do you remember him as someone who once kicked a man to death and "walked in with the champion and left with the champion" during the Frazier-Foreman fight?

Or is it a mix of all the above?

The poll option is limited to whether you think Don has been good for boxing and boxers or bad for boxing and boxers.

Either way you have to admit we will never see another Don King again!!! Only in America!!

[bjermaine]

Although he has kept a lower profile in the 2000's and has become somewhat of a flag waving patriot and friend of the Bush regime........Don King was and always has been one of the most controversial figures in boxing history.

How do you guys see him?

Do you see him as a guy who ushered in an an exciting era of big paydays in boxing and international fights raising the earning capability of boxers and the profile of boxing?

Or do you see him as an ex convict who helped recreate a ghetto in his "fight stable" and mercilessly ripped off a whole generation of talented black fighters?

Do you see him as an inspirational figure and role model for black men and the "only in America" man?

Or do you remember him as someone who once kicked a man to death and "walked in with the champion and left with the champion" during the Frazier-Foreman fight?

Or is it a mix of all the above?

The poll option is limited to whether you think Don has been good for boxing and boxers or bad for boxing and boxers.

Either way you have to admit we will never see another Don King again!!! Only in America!!

king has cost many fighters money, title shots (if they didn't sign over their career to him) and their health. it's disgusting that he is celebrated in the boxing hall of fame. he has no conscience.

[gambler49]

I can't help but like him. However I wouldn't trust him any further then I could throw him.
Now he is involved in Valuev. Somehow I dont see him fkn him over. Kno wat I mean?

[bjermaine]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXLNdGHG ... re=related

here's a interview with roy jones after the first lewis-holyfield decision. he's the only broadcaster that night that called out don king.

[Bricks]

Clearly it's an emotive subject.

I know a group of African guys most of them have only been in England for 5-6 years but to a man they are boxing fans and to a man all admire and respect Don King.

By the same token I remember being in a gym in 1995 when Mike Tyson did that 30 second press conference where he announced he would be retaining Don Kings services and the entire gym broke out in uproar shouting at Tyson " he's a thief, he's ripping you off".........this was a weights gym, not a boxing gym , and I know many of these guys were very casual boxing fans, but it did seem most of them were convinced Don was a thief..........

[HomicideHenry]

Dishonest, slime, crooked as a politician

[dempseyfire]

He's a crap human being. Good for boxing? Just compare the state of boxing before and after his reign at the top . . .case closed. So he made some good fight cards . . .it doesn't take a genius to do that if you control 80% of the market.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Although he has kept a lower profile in the 2000's and has become somewhat of a flag waving patriot and friend of the Bush regime........Don King was and always has been one of the most controversial figures in boxing history.

How do you guys see him?

Do you see him as a guy who ushered in an an exciting era of big paydays in boxing and international fights raising the earning capability of boxers and the profile of boxing?

Or do you see him as an ex convict who helped recreate a ghetto in his "fight stable" and mercilessly ripped off a whole generation of talented black fighters?

Do you see him as an inspirational figure and role model for black men and the "only in America" man?

Or do you remember him as someone who once kicked a man to death and "walked in with the champion and left with the champion" during the Frazier-Foreman fight?

Or is it a mix of all the above?

The poll option is limited to whether you think Don has been good for boxing and boxers or bad for boxing and boxers.

Either way you have to admit we will never see another Don King again!!! Only in America!!

"Suire." Another dose of the Queen's English, then?

He's a mix of both. More bad, ultimately, than good, IMO.

[Bricks]

Although he has kept a lower profile in the 2000's and has become somewhat of a flag waving patriot and friend of the Bush regime........Don King was and always has been one of the most controversial figures in boxing history.

How do you guys see him?

Do you see him as a guy who ushered in an an exciting era of big paydays in boxing and international fights raising the earning capability of boxers and the profile of boxing?

Or do you see him as an ex convict who helped recreate a ghetto in his "fight stable" and mercilessly ripped off a whole generation of talented black fighters?

Do you see him as an inspirational figure and role model for black men and the "only in America" man?

Or do you remember him as someone who once kicked a man to death and "walked in with the champion and left with the champion" during the Frazier-Foreman fight?

Or is it a mix of all the above?

The poll option is limited to whether you think Don has been good for boxing and boxers or bad for boxing and boxers.

Either way you have to admit we will never see another Don King again!!! Only in America!!

"Suire." Another dose of the Queen's English, then?

He's a mix of both. More bad, ultimately, than good, IMO.

Heheeh actually i was writing in Australian English yesterday!

Seriously do elaborate Irene, I'm interested in your viewpoint about Don.
I don't know if it's just me, but I sense Don is more respected in the world today than say 20 years ago. I don't know if there is any correlation with his

a) Ageing and losing a lot of his power as a promoter and thus being viewed as less of a threat by his traditional rivals and hence less prone to verbal attacks by them.

b) People have come to respect his longevity as an icon of boxing.

It just seems there are less accusations of Don ripping off fighters these days (last 10 years). I could be wrong on this it just seems that way.

Of course in regards to the accusations he had thrown at him in the 80's about skimming fighters purses, Don always argued, these fighters would come to him for advances on their purse for upcoming fights, like "don give me $100,000 for a new car" and he would give them the money but when he deducted it later they would accuse him of stealing.

Now in no way do I neccesarily accept Don's explanation, but the fact is , some of these fighters were on drugs and came from that kind of ghetto rich background, where people often spend money they havent been paid yet. Just myplaying devils advocate to stoke the fires of debate.
I dont agree one way or the other.

[Ambling Alp]

It would be hard to find someone that has been worse for boxing. He has done virtually nothing good and has done a lot of bad.
What good did he really do? The mega fights that he promoted would have been promoted by Arum or someone else anyway if King never existed.
It has to be mentioned that the sport of boxing declined greatly in popularity when he had his most power. Of course there are other reasons for the decline but he was a factor.

His alliance with the "governing bodies" resulted in rigged rankings and undeserved title shots for King's fighters.
The prize money in boxing used to be re used to be more of a "middle class" of boxers-serious contenders who could make a decent living. Serious contenders would fight each other in TV for decent money.
Now big names get almost everything.

He routinely cheated fighters out of their money. Don't believe for a second any explanation that he has.
There is a book called "Only in America" by Jack Newfield that gones into some detail of some of the bad things that he did to people.

There have other promoters and other people in boxing that have done a lot of bad for the sport. However King was the worst.

[Bricks]

It would be hard to find someone that has been worse for boxing. He has done virtually nothing good and has done a lot of bad.
What good did he really do? The mega fights that he promoted would have been promoted by Arum or someone else anyway if King never existed.
It has to be mentioned that the sport of boxing declined greatly in popularity when he had his most power. Of course there are other reasons for the decline but he was a factor.

His alliance with the "governing bodies" resulted in rigged rankings and undeserved title shots for King's fighters.
The prize money in boxing used to be re used to be more of a "middle class" of boxers-serious contenders who could make a decent living. Serious contenders would fight each other in TV for decent money.
Now big names get almost everything.

He routinely cheated fighters out of their money. Don't believe for a second any explanation that he has.
There is a book called "Only in America" by Jack Newfield that gones into some detail of some of the bad things that he did to people.

There have other promoters and other people in boxing that have done a lot of bad for the sport. However King was the worst.

Just to play devils advocate here for a second and fuel the flames of debate, do you really think Arum would have taken the HW title all around the world and helped make it the most prestigious title in world sport outside its traditional power base of the USA and Europe? Arguably it was Kings legacy in promoting the sport in places like South East Asia that resulted in us having a Pacquiao or Chris John on the scene today. I have been to South East Asia and when you mention boxing people still talk about the Thriller in Manilla and hell even the Joe Bugner-Ali fight in Kuala Lumpur as huge sports events. King did made huge efforts to spread the notion of the World Heavyweight champion. Than again on the flip side, King was the one who was responsible in large part for all the multi undeserving titlists in the 80's before Tyson came along, although some blame Holmes for this too.
Newfield's book makes for good indictment copy but some also feel at the same time it is fuelled by some element of hyperbole and vested interest.

Strictly on a personal note here, I still think even in the 2000's King has consistently put on good interesting cards and his ageing body aside he continues to attempt to push boxings boundaries. Like that card in China, although a failure, it was an innovative push some would argue.

[Ambling Alp]

There were fights all around the world decades before King came along. There were not a lot heavyweight title fights outside the US before King, but there were some. How many there would have been without King is difficult to say, but I would guess there would have been close to the same.

Actually it was King who promoted most of Larry Holmes fights that were in Las Vegas. Most of King's big fights (including other weight classes) when he had the most power were in Las Vegas. The reliance on Vegas is one factor that has hurt the sport not only in the US but in the world.

Boxing was very popular in Europe, Mexico, South America, and Asia for many decades.
King did not help the notion of a world champion. If anything he used the growing number of "champions" to promote fights. Of course this hurt the sport in the long run. There really aren't "world champions" very often anymore.

The would have been a Pacman or a Chris John without Don King, believe me.

[sweetsci]

Don King had absolutely no long term vision. By going after superstars built up by other promoters, by exerting his influence to corrupt boxing organizations, by living in the moment and disrespecting history, he killed the goose that was laying the golden eggs. I'm sure Don King is wealthy beyond measure, but if he'd used his considerable influence and gift for promotion to promote boxing in addition to individual fights, boxing would be far better off, and King would have benefitted as well.

[palooka]

don king is a product of his times and circumstance. he had the intelligence and confidence to make something of himself and he did that to the detriment of the boxers under his wing. he seems a very greedy and hard hearted man. he controlled boxing, in particular the heavyweight titles and the blue chip champions for almost 30 years. he made a ton of money and was never satisfied, is he retired now?