Just when you though Don King, the infamous former promoter of Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, was out of the game he manages to resurface with a fighter from his depleted roster in a big fight and plans for world peace.
On Tuesday a press release made the rounds to alert the boxing community of King’s plans for a worldwide boxing series entitled “Salute To Greatness” in memory of Muhammad Ali.
The idea, says King, “is to do a global salute to the memory of the greatest, Muhammed Ali’’ by revisiting some of the cities and countries King helped make famous and to promote major championship events, every few months, in new locations around the world, for Ali and the people’s champions for peace globally.
“I brought international fame and acclaim to cities and countries, brought them worldwide recognition, put them on map,’’ King said. “We put Manila on the map, same with Zaire and many other places. With this series, we’re open to do things that have never happened before.
“We could go anywhere and everywhere, we’re gonna conquer the world. They’re calling me, Africa is calling me. I don’t even have to call them.
In addition to the series, King finds himself back in the limelight with his fighter former heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne of Haiti. Earlier this month, the World Boxing Council ordered that Stiverne face Russian challenger Alexander Povetkin of Russia with the winner facing current champion Deontay Wilder next year. Povetkin was previously scheduled to face Wilder but was removed from the fight after testing positive for the banned substance meldonium. In the aftermath, Wilder went on to fight and defeat Chris Arreola and the WBC opted not to ban Povetkin because of “the impossibility to scientifically prove that Mr. Povetkin ingested meldonium after January 1, 2016” when the drug was included on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)’s list of forbidden substances.
Confident in his fighter’s ability to win, King says he’s willing to do the fight anywhere and imagines having Putin and Trump ringside.
“We could do the fight in Russia, the U.S. even Africa. I’m friends with Russian President Vladimir Putin and I’m a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, who I’ve known a long time. Maybe the Presidents could sit together at ringside, President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump. Can you imagine??????
But until the fight is official, his sights are set on his new boxing series.
“This is the Love & Peace Roundup for me. I’m back in the saddle. There’s no stopping this series. It’s a ‘Salute to Greatness’ in the memory of Ali and for all the great fighters all over the world.’’
No comment from the Ali family on King’s big plans.