Mike Chiari @@mikechiari Featured Columnist IV September 21, 2024
Focus on Sport/Getty Images
Legendary boxing promoter Don King released a statement Saturday, disputing Mike Tyson’s recent claim that he is in poor health.
According to Oliver Salt of Daily Mail, King said: “Tell everyone I am doing fine and I love Mike Tyson.”
King’s statement came on the heels of Tyson appearing on the It Is What It Is podcast (h/t Alex Raskin of Daily Mail) and saying: “Don is not doing well right now. He’s probably close to 100 years old, he’s not doing well.”
The 93-year-old King is the most famous and recognizable promoter in boxing history due to his colorful personality and trademark hairstyle. He promoted the fights of many of the top boxers of all time, including Tyson, Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier and Evander Holyfield.
In the 1970s, King promoted two of the biggest fights in boxing history, both of which involved Ali.
Ali and Foreman clashed in the “Rumble in the Jungle” held in Zaire in 1974, and Ali then faced Frazier in the “Thrilla in Manila” held in the Philippines in 1975. Ali was victorious in both bouts.
While King has had a hand in some fabled moments in the sport of boxing, he has also long been a controversial figure.
Several of the boxers he promoted sued him over the years, including Tyson, who sued him for $100 million in 1998. They ultimately reached a $14 million settlement.
King continues to do some promoting to this day, most notably with former super featherweight, lightweight, welterweight and super lightweight champion Adrien Broner, who signed with Don King Promotions last year.
As for the 58-year-old Tyson, he has not competed in an officially sanctioned boxing match since 2005, but that will change on Nov. 15 when he faces Jake Paul at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in the main event of a card that will stream live on Netflix.
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