Don King

[uptconnect]

I just read an article from May of this year that claimed Don King is currently worth 290 million dollars.
Not "has earned" 290M, it's "is worth" 290M.
I find this hard to believe, considering how little pull he has in boxing these days.
Cash equals "pull" in boxing moreso than any other sport.

Every other name on the list did not surprise me. Tiger, Jack Nicklaus, Magic Johnson, etc.
But Don still having 290M in the tank, all while he's failing to make big moves in boxing or even simply to sign good fighters, blows my mind to a degree.

[ReggieDiggs]

Don was the man for awhile, whatcha think he did with all that money go on a Brewsters Millions spending spree.. Don's problem these days is probably trust oriented more than money. I've also seem it implied his wife passing away took a lot of wind out of his sail. Plus the life expectancy of a overweight black man means Don should been buried about a decade ago so energy/health might be an issue too.

[Rexob]

I thought I saw some interview he did a while back saying he's a billionaire?

[palooka]

In lots of these things they include stuff that's not paid for - properties with mortgages etc. There are people 'worth' millions but have millions in liabilities. I doubt King is struggling but can't imagine what he'd buy. He's pinched a lot of the money as well hasn't he?

[chucktaylor]

I'm not at all surprised that he's worth that much. Don King was on top of the game for a long time, so he's accumulated a lot of wealth. He's not going to blow all his money like many of the men he promoted. He would be filthy rich if he retired about a decade ago when he lost a lot of relevance as a promoter- most people do retire from work at some point, but he hasn't wanted to walk away completely.

[uptconnect]

My confusion comes into play because Don still talks like he wants to be a promoter, and with his experience and 290M in cash, he could have a nice roster.
But instead, he still seems to be doing his DK thing whenever you see him, except he only has 2 or 3 mediocre fighters in his stable.
I figured he fell off in boxing because not only did his reputation suffer over time, but he must be broke-
Because he was famous for plunking down suitcases full of cash in front of fighters along with a contract.
He could still do that and it would still work. Cash is king. He could have a solid roster, if he chose to.
So I guess what his having 290M tells me, if it's true, is that he simply doesn't want to be a big time promoter anymore. Which is fine by the way, I'm certainly not saying I miss him.

[chucktaylor]

Don King is an octogenarian, meaning he's old as fvck. A lot of folks his age are in assisted living- you shouldn't expect him to be operating at the same level he was in his prime. The heavyweights have always meant the most to him and he's super nostalgic, so he still has something to get excited about in Stiverne.
There probably isn't anyone in his company who can fill his shoes, so his business has slowed down just as he has.

[stevedoc]

where do you think much of tyson's money went ? it doesn't surprise king would do anything for money .
the one that shocked me was michael buffer i've seen his wealth placed at any where between 140-400 million $$$, crazy as he's only the MC

[sucracristo]

he was famous for plunking down suitcases full of cash in front of fighters along with a contract.

but when it wound up in court, the cash was always written into the contract as "loans".
king was famous for putting his whole family and all his friends on the payrolls of boxers
without the boxers even knowing about it. the money was just discounted from their
purses. the boxers figured they were rich because they always had cash and cars and
nice houses, until they started losing, then they found out the cash was all "loans" and
the cars and houses were not in their own names. camacho thought he had a shiny ferrari
in his driveway until movers took the car and told him to get out of his house, which turned
out not to be his. king also was famous for getting women and hanger-ons put on the payroll
to help keep boxers under control and signing the contracts, and having some of them placed
on as managers of the boxers with big salaries. i heard tyson was still obliged to pay don king's
daughters salaries long after he retired because tyson had no idea what he was signing.
sure, king is old, but only a few months older than arum. i suspect the reason king has
so much money is the reason boxers avoid him now, because of his shady deals.

[Bricks]

I thought I saw some interview he did a while back saying he's a billionaire?

Exactly $290 is a pathetically paltry figure.I'd think the truth was nearer 600-700 million.

[Bricks]

My confusion comes into play because Don still talks like he wants to be a promoter, and with his experience and 290M in cash, he could have a nice roster.
But instead, he still seems to be doing his DK thing whenever you see him, except he only has 2 or 3 mediocre fighters in his stable.
I figured he fell off in boxing because not only did his reputation suffer over time, but he must be broke-
Because he was famous for plunking down suitcases full of cash in front of fighters along with a contract.
He could still do that and it would still work. Cash is king. He could have a solid roster, if he chose to.
So I guess what his having 290M tells me, if it's true, is that he simply doesn't want to be a big time promoter anymore. Which is fine by the way, I'm certainly not saying I miss him.

I appreciate your starting a interesting thread.....but don is well into his 80s. He has no real successor.his tragic loss of his wife must be heartbreaking

[scallum]

He was making millions way back in the 70s

[TheBeast]

Having your own production crew/channel for PPVs must have saved/made him lots of $$$