Who is the best promoter in history?

[Boxerbeetle]

Harry Grout was pretty good.

His main events didn't always live up to expectations though.

[jameswilson]

Saw a clip the other day of the build up to De La Hoya v Vargas. Bob Arum stood between them for the face offs. Then later on saw an old photo of Muhammad Ali, Bob Arum next to him.

For longevity he outlasts everyone and ok he’s senile as hell now but he’s still heading up Top Rank.

[margaret thatcher]

somewhere theres probably a black and white photo of john l sullivan before a fight, with arum lurking in the background

[jamesmcdonnell]

somewhere theres probably a black and white photo of john l sullivan before a fight, with arum lurking in the background

Who remembers that idiot, was it Kalan, who claimed to have seen Dempsey fight?

[tiny_acres]

somewhere theres probably a black and white photo of john l sullivan before a fight, with arum lurking in the background

Who remembers that idiot, was it Kalan, who claimed to have seen Dempsey fight?

That guy could come up with the most batshit crazy posts.

[Glass Joe]

https://x.com/TheNaomiWolf/status/1825390448850227284

shout out Oscar Delahoya

[JamesPhilips]

MC Hammer was a boxing promoter!?!?

[margaret thatcher]

oscar looks like he's having a great time there tbf

[maverick23]

oscar looks like he's having a great time there tbf

Fancy posting that and thinking it won’t get taken down and that it’s close to normal.

[olij999]

Harold Smith should be on the list if Turki is

I wondered when someone would mention Harold!

To me, anyone who is not risking their own money is not a promoter in the true sense. Turki's role feels like an extended version of the one-off government funding that used to happen for big fights historically - e.g. Mobutu's Zaire paid to get Ali-Foreman, I believe Nigeria did so in 1963 to support Tiger v Fullmer III, and so on. While understandably they all wanted/want their financial support to be acknowledged within the promotion, on the posters etc, that doesn't really make them promoters.

[joshj909]

Harold Smith should be on the list if Turki is

I wondered when someone would mention Harold!

To me, anyone who is not risking their own money is not a promoter in the true sense. Turki's role feels like an extended version of the one-off government funding that used to happen for big fights historically - e.g. Mobutu's Zaire paid to get Ali-Foreman, I believe Nigeria did so in 1963 to support Tiger v Fullmer III, and so on. While understandably they all wanted/want their financial support to be acknowledged within the promotion, on the posters etc, that doesn't really make them promoters.

Realistically there's a few others who in some way come into that category too.

Don King managed to put on blockbuster fights by not paying the blockbuster boxers.

Warren has declared bankruptcy numerous times so I guess he's put on fights at the expense of others.

Al Haymon's backers were sued by investors because of the way they were throwing money at him.

None of these are quite the same as Turki who seems to have an unlimited pit which can be spent without consequence, but most of these guys don't follow the rules when it comes to spending their money. Even Hearn started off spending his Dad's.

[Frostieballs]

Harold Smith should be on the list if Turki is

I wondered when someone would mention Harold!

To me, anyone who is not risking their own money is not a promoter in the true sense. Turki's role feels like an extended version of the one-off government funding that used to happen for big fights historically - e.g. Mobutu's Zaire paid to get Ali-Foreman, I believe Nigeria did so in 1963 to support Tiger v Fullmer III, and so on. While understandably they all wanted/want their financial support to be acknowledged within the promotion, on the posters etc, that doesn't really make them promoters.

You are right. Turki isn’t really a promoter is he?

Does he have any fighters under a promotional banner? Does he push sanctioning bodies to rank fighters? Does he arrange tickets to be printed?

He’s the money man, with a passion for boxing, loving life just now.

He lets others run around and do the promotional work.

I get that he makes his desired fights happen, but any of us could do that with access to unlimited funds.

I could get Tom Cruise, De Niro, Hugh Jackman. Ryan Reynolds, Scarlett Johansen, Nicholas Cage and Dean Gaffney all to appear in a movie with enough money. But I wouldn’t be a Director/Producer.

He’s basically like the guys who hire Beyoncé to perform at their wedding.

The trouble will come when he or his overlords tire of the sport.

[Glass Joe]

Don King for boxing

the greatest promoter off all time is Vince McMahon

[margaret thatcher]

vince is a great performer too