Why wasn't Ali-Bugner 2 held in London, instead of Kuala Lumpur?

[ron4972]

Back to my research on Bugner's career. Thanks for your patience.

Anyway, when Don King and Ali had Bugner lined up as a title opponent in 1975, you'd think that Wembley Stadium would be the obvious locale. The Brits hadn't had a heavyweight title fight in England since 1996. But instead, this one got held at Kuala Lumpur. Why?

Brits...do you have any inside info here? Could it be that the English fans were not happy about Bugner and DKP feared that the gate might not be so great in London?

[gilgamesh]

Why Zaire for Ali/Foreman?

Why The Phillipines for Ali/Frazier 3?

Why Venezuela for Foreman vs Norton?

Don King seemed to make a lot of odd choices.

[bennie]

Wembley, Malaya...? Joe was just glad to be there.

[evrenb]

Why Zaire for Ali/Foreman?

Why The Phillipines for Ali/Frazier 3?

Why Venezuela for Foreman vs Norton?

Don King seemed to make a lot of odd choices.

Money...Ali was the draw and countries wanted to receive the global attention an Ali fight would give them. And Ali was paid handsomely for it .

[APerno]

Why Zaire for Ali/Foreman?

Why The Phillipines for Ali/Frazier 3?

Why Venezuela for Foreman vs Norton?

Don King seemed to make a lot of odd choices.

With the Zaire situation King couldn't come up with the millions needed to guarantee Foreman; Bob Arum was making a move on the fight and had credit (credibility) with the banks and possible backers, Don King didn't.

It was only three years earlier that Don King had been incarcerated; King's only promotions to date had been a two small (benefit) fights in Cleveland. He had no money, little experience, and less credibility, but he found a psychopathic African king who could (would) write a 10 million dollar check.

After Zaire, I suspect Don King realized he had more clout and control if he took his big fights outside the States. I read a remark once from a Don King assistant who was responsible for promoting the live gates (his name escapes me now), when asked what was the easiest fight to sell, he quipped "The Thrilla in Manila: Marcos ordered everyone to go to the fight."

I know nothing about the Venezuela fight but you can see the same dynamics in play: a strong-man government looking to gain international cred while Don King saw opportunities to steal in multiple ways. (If you think trying to unravel the Trump-Russian money laundering scam is difficult imagine being a prosecutor trying to follow the flow of Don King's money from Zaire to Manila to Caracas.)

[Caractacus]

I think the clue may be in the Joe Bugner thread somewhere.

[Bodyshot3]

Beyond Joe being a very difficult sell post-Cooper in the UK as Caractus has hinted .......

........there's the fact that Malaysia, the Philippines and the bizarro world of Mobutu's Zaire all wanted these fights and were willing to cut all sorts of backroom deals, even half-subsidise things to have the HW Championship on their turf.

They craved the global spotlight of an Ali fight - to showcase that they could handle a global event - and with Mobutu it was all about Africa and KL ticked the boxes in terms of the Muslim angle.

Ali was naturally interested/sympathetic towards these causes/ambitions - even though Mobutu was as trustworthy as a $15 dollar note and a cheating, leeching dictator - but the unloved Bugner was very much available.

[Caractacus]

I wonder how many Hollywood celebrities and entertainers attended that event in Kuala Lumpur ?
I'm guessing not too many because they probably had strigent rules against bring illegal narcotics into the country
and most Hollywood celebrities and Entertainers were probably on drugs too back then.

[Caractacus]